> I don't see why we assume that smaller birds seen at road-kills &c are
> always looking for maggots. I don't see that it would be too much of a
> different diet for birds who ordinarily eat inscts to include bits of
> meat in their diet, or that it would be too difficult for little beaks
> to pull bits of meat off a rotting carcass so long as the hide was
> already broken. I once saw a party of Mallee Ringnecks at a road-kill
> and they seemed to be ripping into the flesh alright.
>
All of this reminds me of a somewhat vitriolic exchange in BOCA's
"Australian Bird Watcher" journal some years ago, about whether a
White-faced Heron standing on a dead 'roo and "feeding" was eating
carrion or maggots. The upshot of it all was that nobody could give the
definitive answer as the situation had not been observed closely enough
to rule out either option.
* Today's take home message: If you see non-vulture type birds
pecking away at a corpse, try to make observations from as close as
possible to unequivocally identify what is being eaten, and publish it!
Personally, I've not had the privilege of seeing any of the lesser
vultures in action.
Cheers, Lawrie
Lawrie ÓCoineoil (Conole)
58 Holden Street, Fitzroy North 3068 Victoria, AUSTRALIA
Email <>
Ph AH (03) 9486 4575
Ph Mob (0419) 588 993
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