Frank O'Connor wrote:
>Feral bees are a significant problem for breeding Red-tailed
>Black-Cockatoos in the south west. Ron Johnstone at the WA
Museum and
>others have been researching the black cockatoss in the
south west.
In December 2001, I conducted a survey of trees along a
pipeline route from Naracoorte (South Australia) to Casterton
(Victoria), to identify potential Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo
nest trees. Of the trees I found to be potential nest trees,
over 50% had the hollows occupied by feral honeybees. I
found a good way of locating hollows simply to look for bee
traffic!
I'm quite certain that extensive hollow use by bees is a
significant disincentive for RTBCs seeking out nest hollows.
The south-east RTBC (ssp. graptogyne) is seriously
endangered, so any interference with breeding has the
potential to make serious inroads into recruitment for this
taxon.
L.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lawrie Conole
2/37 Myrnong Crescent, Ascot Vale Vic 3032
AH 03 9370 3928 Mob 0419 588 993
Senior Zoologist
Ecology Australia Pty Ltd
88 B Station Street, Fairfield Vic 3078
BH 03 9489 4191 Fax 03 948 7679
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
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