wrote:
>
> G'day all
>
> My father and I observed a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet in the company of
> several
> Rainbow Lorikeets in Heidelberg Heights (northern suburban Melbourne
> on Sunday
> 12th March.
>
> The Victorian bird atlas reports small populations in a few bayside
> suburbs.
>
> Can any Melbourne folk provide up to date information on the
> distribution and
> status of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets in Melbourne. And are the Rainbow
> Lorikeets
> in Melbourne thought to be derived naturally from other Victorian
> populations or
> are they the result of escaped cage birds?
>
> Cheers
>
> Steve
>
> *********************************************************
> Steve Clark
> 45 Carmichael Street, Hamilton, Victoria, 3300
> www.ansonic.com.au/clarks/sw_birds.htm
> *********************************************************
>
> To unsubscribe from this list, please send a message to
>
> Include ONLY "unsubscribe birding-aus"
> in the message body (without the quotes)
In the original RAOU Aus Bird Atlas, there was a note that there was an
established feral population of Scalybreasted 'keets at Yallambie, on
the Plenty River (just north of Lower Plenty Rd). I have often seen them
near the then Yallambie, now re-named Streeton Views Primary School over
the years. A few weeks ago(in January I think) I saw some at Latrobe
Uni.Wildlife Reserve. Reserve staff tell me that they have recently
become very common and widespread in the district.
I think the Rainbow Lorikeet increase is natural, but the presence of
small colonies of escapes at Zoo etc. may well have encouraged visiting
flocks to stay and settle down - decoy effect.
In 1975 there was one pair of Rainbows at Furness Park, Blackburn,
and I was very surprised to see them. They were not a melbourne bird at
all back then. At that time I didn't expect them anywhere west of
Bairnsdale.
Anthea Fleming in Ivanhoe (Vic)
To unsubscribe from this list, please send a message to
Include ONLY "unsubscribe birding-aus"
in the message body (without the quotes)
|
