birding-aus

blackbirds

To:
Subject: blackbirds
From:
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 09:57:00 +1000

I have come in late on this thread, but must comment on Carol Probet's comment
below:

In the Blue Mountains, at least, they tend to inhabit wet forest which has
been invaded by weeds, particularly those that bear fruit.

Blackbirds are a common vector for a number of weed species (English Ivy and
Blackberry, for example, and I think it is a moot question whether the
Blackbirds invade first,and the weeds inevitably follow, or vice versa.  I have
pulled out hundreds of Blackberry, Ivy and Pittosporum seedlings under Blackbird
perches.  My view is that the Blackbirds are creating habitat that suits them
(co-evolution with Blackberry and Ivy?).  They are certainly not benign
foreigners, in spite of their attractive song, but agents for environmental
degradation (one of many, of course).

Cheers

Ian



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