Hi Birders,
I have been interested in the comments of various contributors to the
habitats ands distribution of the Pied Butcherbird in Central NSW.
Originally Pied Butcherbirds were an inland species that penetrated to the
coast from the Central Tablelands via the open woodlands of the Hunter
Valley and then north along the NSW Coast. The dense forest south of the
Hunter and the dense Hawkesbury Sandstone ranges, prevented penetration
further south.
With the coming of European settlement to the Hunter Valley and the clearing
of the land for agriculture, particularly dairy up the Wollombi Valley,
around Cessnock, and south to Mandalong and Wyong, saw the spread south of
the Pied Butcherbirds. However the forests and sandstone forests stopped
movement further south. While there is no dairying going on nowdays in Wyong
Shire, golfcourses, playing fields, open space reseves all nicely landscaped
with native trees, and some horse & cattle grazing still provide breeding
habitat for Pied Butcherbirds.
In autumn and winter some Pied Butcherbirds move into the seaside suburbs of
the Central Coast like Bateau Bay & Shelley Beach where there is apparently
enough open space to provide them with suitable feeding areas. So from my
house in the autumn mornings, the carolling of Grey Butcherbirds, magpies
and Pied Butcherbirds fills the air. However these birds disappear in
spring, perhaps because the more aggressive Grey Butcherbirds and Australian
Magpies are not prepared to tolerate them during their breeding season.
As there would seem to be plenty of suitable habitat for Pied Butcherbirds
on the Cumberland Plains, west of Sydney, particularly in the open space
reserves, domestic stock grazing areas, sports fields etc and golf courses,
it is hard to understand why they have not settled there whereas Choughs and
Apostlebirds have been able to maintain a presence! The only two records I
know for Sydney Region have been for Heathcote and Ashbury, hardly the open
space areas one would expect to find Pied Butcherbirds!
Alan Morris
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