On Tue, Sep 02, 2008 at 04:03:23PM +1000, wrote:
> Gouldian Finches migrate. Is it known that Painted Finches dont migrate?
HANZAB discussed some evidence for dispersal in Painted Finch, as you'd
expect for an arid zone species.
Assessing probabilities at the tails of distributions is problematic so
everyone can have their own opinion. I known suggesting birds are escapees
is unpopular but I'd note that the nearest record to Jerilderie mentioned
in HANZAB is Sydney (about 500km) - 5 birds in 1896 thought likely to be
aviary escapees. HANZAB has only a single record for western NSW and
none for southern Queensland. This absence from areas closer to, and
with habitats more similar to known populations is why I was suggested
vagrancy was less likely than escape/release.
Painted Finches are commonly kept in breeding pairs and a single event
could allow multiple birds to escape, e.g. a storm damaging the aviary,
so I don't think the fact they are breeding significantly changes the
likelihood they came from an aviary.
Andrew
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