birding-aus

Brown Thornbill nest lining

To: Birding Aus <>
Subject: Brown Thornbill nest lining
From: Michael Todd <>
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:32:46 +1100
Hello all,

The Brown Thornbill nest that I had been watching under my kitchen window succesfully fledged thornbillets (theres a good word) a few weeks ago. About a week ago i rescued a juvenile thornbill, that had taken a wrong turn and entered my house. It was probably from the same nest.

Yesterday, I watched Brown Thornbills pulling old material from the old nest which had become dislodged from the bush that it was in by wind. The nest was on the ground in the paddock. I had a closer look at the nest and found that it was thickly lined with the beautiful soft coppery red fur of the Tasmanian Brushtail Possum. That nest must have been warm. I imagine that the thornbills must have got this fur off a roadkill possum. This in itself is interesting as the nearest road where a possum could be killed would be a kilometre away across open paddock. I drive on that road most days and I can't remember seeing a dead brushy on it (plenty elsewhere mind you).

The fur must be a valuable commodity though as it is being re-used!

Cheers

Mick Todd

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_________________________________________________________________________________

Michael Todd
Wildlifing: Images of Nature: www.wildlifing.com
Latest Images: Shy Albatross, Buller's Albatross, Aust. Fur Seal
PhD Candidate- Tasmanian Masked Owl
School of Zoology, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 05, Hobart, Tasmania 7001
Mobile: o41o 123715


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