This is an excellent point.
Scum though these birds might be (albeit lovely birds in their countries
of origin), they are definitely under recorded in local lists etc.
Reading bird lists from the wider Geelong area where I grew up, I could
have been forgiven for thinking I was living in a pre-contact pristine
wilderness. Ubiquitous "bush" birds such as Common Blackbird and Common
Starling which penetrate native vegetation quite deeply around here (in
the Blackbird's case - absolutely everywhere!!), were frequently
omitted. This lead to confusion in latter years about whether these
things were currently expanding their range, or becoming more abundant
in undisturbed habitats, and so on.
> So - a plea for all of us who list birds seen or heard on any kind of
> occasion, time period or location, whether in our 'little black books'
> or in
> a database, to be comprehensive. Introduced species, like it or not,
> are
> now part of our birdlife and need to be noticed and noted. It may be
> emotionally satisfying to see them as enemies, but let us also give
> them due
> respect as agents of change in our environment.
>
Hear hear.
Lawrie Conole
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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