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More on Bustard numbers/decline

To: "Matthew Herring" <>, <>
Subject: More on Bustard numbers/decline
From: "Scott O'Keeffe" <>
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 18:55:15 +1000

Matthew-

 

You wrote, in relation to Bustard decline:

 

“Interesting to read in HANZAB, of the susceptability of the Australian Bustard to control programs for locusts, mice, rabbits etc. and that hundreds were poisoned by baits in the Riverina and other regions of southern Australia.” 

 

Note that the dates given were pre-myxomatosis, early 1900s.  How much impact?  It’s a hard one, since the presence of rabbits and foxes are both likely to have had significant impacts on bustards.  Rabbits, by alteration of the landscape, which was often very significant, and foxes by predation.  So, did the baiting kill more Bustards than it saved by controlling foxes and rabbits?  And what happens if you only control rabbits?  If rabbits decline, do foxes switch to other types of prey, such as bustards?  Murky waters.

 

Scott O’Keeffe

 

-----Original Message-----
From: [On Behalf Of Matthew Herring
Sent: 11 March 2001 14:18
To:
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] More on Bustard numbers/decline

 

Just some interesting facts that others may have not read or heard about:

In the Readers Digest complete book of Aust. birds: "In 1896 flocks of 50-60 were found near Moree, NSW and in 1897, a flock of more than 1000 birds was seen near Hay, NSW. Both this book and HANZAB (vol. 2, pg. 637) refer to flocks of up to 200 in the Kimberley and when at Broome Bird Observatory i do remember reading about a record of 40+ behind the observatory on the plains, approx. 10 years ago. This is in their old record sheets. Given the threatened status of most of the world's 20 or so species of Bustard, you'd think we'd be well and truly on to it by now. Interesting to read in HANZAB, of the susceptability of the Australian Bustard to control programs for locusts, mice, rabbits etc. and that hundreds were poisoned by baits in the Riverina and other regions of southern Australia. Has anyone out there seen good numbers in QLD recently? 

Matthew Herring - Albury, NSW. 



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