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Alpine Specialists

To: Birding Aus <>
Subject: Alpine Specialists
From: Greg Oakley <>
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 14:31:39 +0800
Laurie,
Interesting question!
I'm certainly no expert but perhaps this point needs further exploration:
Food supply. Perhaps the biodiversity of the Australian alps is not
as complex for birds to exist as other alpine regions of the world (for one reason or another,
maybe the food chain didn't evolve in enough complexity for specialist birds
to evolve). There aren't many true alpine bird specialists in the world because,
to exist in such a narrow niche, food supply conditions need to be at least reasonable
in the winter months.
As an aside, I found this on a European Alps site - very interesting!


The swallows and all the migrating birds have gone and only the real tough types remain especially in the high mountains. The symbol of how well birds can adapt to the extremes is certainly the Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) found in the highest places above the tree line and also as far north as Greenland. This bird changes plumage three times a year and now is snowy white sometimes sitting on ski pistes with humans  to avoid the unwelcome attention of predators. Surviving in temperatures below -30 degrees centigrade, drawing on an extra store of fat and calories, the bird seeks wherever possible berries to obtain extra sugar following in the wake of chamois who dig up the fruit as well as building a sort of igloo. To get around the Ptarmigan has natural raquettes and crampons on feet and legs. Not all alpine birds are coloured like, or live only off the snow. The Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) is like a black crow and although taking small animals and insects scavenges around the chalets on high where there may be other alpine species such as the Snow Finch (Montifrigillia nivalis).. the Alpine Accentor (Prunella colaris) and Wall Creeper ( Tichodroma muralia) with bright red wing patches.






...............................................
Greg Oakley
Creative Director
Pinpoint Design Group
5 Charnwood Crescent St Kilda
Ph (03) 9534 0600
Fax (03) 9534 0690
Email


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