At 20:55 22/06/98 +1000, Ron Hughes wrote:
>Recent postings on Starlings...
>Here in Brisbane I have been coming across the odd pair of them,
>always it seems in the vicinity of overhead traffic lights. Would
>this be a classic example of Darwinian principals in that they are
>successfully exploiting an area / nesting site ignored by the natives
>or is it just possible that the birds in question are descendants of
>Glaswegian immigrants, programmed to head for any source of heat to
>combat miserable winters nights
In Townsville, Mackay and Ingham (and no doubt elsewhere) Rainbow
Lorrikeets roost in the thosands in the trees in well lit sections of the
"city" centres. In Townsville, Figbirds, White-breasted Woodswallows and
Common Mynas also roost in communally in well lit areas. Mynas also like to
roost solitarily inside the sun visas of traffic lights, but I haven't
noticed if they have a colour prefrenece. In the tropics I doubt that it's
the heat they are after, and for the first three it's not the city garbage.
I think it's the midnight twilight, but it also could be the grey noise I
suppose. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions as to why?
David James
PO BOX 5225
Townsville Mail Centre 4810
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