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Dear Readers,
It was good to see the number of replies to the
request from Judie Peet. especially as I have been interested in the species for
many years. My interests in the Glossy Black-Cockatoo--GLBC--have extended to
counts of the birds in logged compartments within forest at Eden for
State Forests, to preparing a discourse on the species for National
Parks.
No, I do not believe that GLBC forage on fruits of
River Oak. Whenever an observer has made that claim, I have been able to
determine that it was a Gang Gang Cockatoo or some other parrot that was doing
the foraging.
Yes, Crimson Rosellas, finches, and no doubt, other
species eat River Oak cones and/or seeds. While on other species, I have seen
Rainbow Lorikeets foraging on Allocasuarina littoralis.
I have seen and reported GLBC foraging on
Allocasuarina torulosa (their favourite ), A. littoralis, A.
distyla and A. gymnanthera.
The last species mentioned is fascinating, because
it is only a shrub, yet there is a thriving population of CLBC on Goulbourn
River National Park, and these large birds seem to depend on the one species of
shrub .Bear in mind that I would have
reported this bird in Casuarina aff. distyla in 1981, because that was
the current botanical name.
I am delighted to answer any queries that this
report may conjure up.
From Dick Turner, Lapstone, Blue
Mountains
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