Hi Inger,
As Tania suggested a predator exclusion cage is the way to go if your
mum really doesn't want to feed the butcherbirds. Basically you need a
mesh size that allows the sunbirds to pass through without too much
trouble while preventing access to the butcherbirds. Given the size
difference between the predator and the prey finding such a mesh
should be fairly straight forward. Once constructed and placed around
the nest you'll need to watch closely to ensure that the parent
sunbirds accept the change and continue visiting the nest. You also
need to ensure the 'cage' is big enough that the nest sits well beyond
the reach of a persistent butcherbird that may still reach in through
the mesh. Variants of predator exclusion cages have been used with
some success to protect nests of a range of threatened species around
the world.
Cheers,
Rohan Clarke
______________________________________________________________
From: "Tania Ireton" <>
To: <>
Subject: sec: unclas Re: [birding-aus] Black butcherbird
attackingsunbird nests
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 10:37:15 +1000
>I seem to remember someone building a wire cage around a sunbird
nest where the holes were big enough for the sunbirds to get
through but too small for the predators. The nest was hanging on
someon's verandah and I believe the cage was was hung from a beam
or the ceiling above the nest, enclosing the nest.
>
>Regards,
>Tania
>
> >>> "inger vandyke" <> 12/05/06 8:53 >>>
>Hi All,
>
>Just a quick query to mine your collective knowledge.
>
>My parents in Cairns have had regularly nesting Sunbirds around
their house.
>
>My mother told me that they've been flying around again looking
for a
>suitable nesting spot. My parents, over the years, have
co-parented many
>sunbird chicks that have nested in their house by sheltering them
from
>predators and keeping anything from disturbing them.
>
>They have a problem now though. Black Butcherbirds are in their
>neighbourhood and they tend to raid the Sunbird nest for
chicks. They are
>very cunning, fast and seem to appear out of nowhere. My mother
now sits
>and paints outside to keep an eye on their Sunbird nest until the
adults get
>their chicks out so she can scare the Butcherbirds away. This is
a bit
>restricting though.
>
>Do any of you have any suggestions to scare off butcherbirds but
not
>sunbirds so my mother isn't housebound while they raise their
chicks?
>
>It's an interesting dilemma because you would think a picture of a
raptor
>like bird on the window would also scare the sunbirds.
>
>Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Inger
>
>
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References
1. http://g.msn.com/8HMAENAU/2755??PS=47575
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