Hello, Peter
You wrote:
> "The Scaly-breasted Lori is a moot point..." and asked about Port Lincoln and
> Pale-headed Rosella records.
Moira Longden tells me that was an article in the Bird Observer some
time ago by someone who often travelled in inland eastern Victoria. He
said Scalys were more widespread, particularly along the rivers, than
shown in the atlases.
Incidentally the "odd couple" of a Rainbow and Scaly which first
produced young at Ricketts Point in the summer of 1993/94 (see Moira's
pieces in BO742,745) is still around but doesn't seem to have produced
young since. However we are pretty sure there have been second
generation hybrids produced by both a hybrid-Scaly and a hybrid-Rainbow
pair.
The hybrids are quite a challenge to one's i/d skills.
It is even worse at Cheltenham Park where my records include an Eastern
RosellaXPort Lincoln cross in early 1995 (these species were known to be
sharing a nest box on the Royal Melbourne golf course in 1992 and I
still hear of occasional records of Port Lincolns near the RMGC - last
in January this year). Also at the Park, 3 Eastern RosellaXPale-headed
hybrids (I think) on 20/5/96 and an undersized Crimson Rosella (c.
90-95% of length of Eastern). Last week a caller to the Gould League
slot on 3LO said there was a Western Rosella there.
While there is evidence that the EasternXPort Lincoln may have been
feral I suspect that there must be a local aviculturalist trying to
emulate Dr. Frankenstein.
Other Bayside records in the last 3 years include nesting by
Crimson-Eastern Rosella pair(s?) with hybrid regular in 4/96, Adelaide
Rosella (probable) and Golden-naped Eastern Rosella (not the local
race).
Michael Norris
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