Gooday birders
An interesting thread. Thinking that also during a drought as the
available water is reduced to well separated sources the population of
birds around each water source would increase, putting pressure on other
available resources in that area such as refuge areas and food. Those
birds that cannot compete for the available resources, or for which the
resources are now gone, must therefore become nomadic or perish which is
what may be happening to the Pardalotes.
Interesting to note though that Red-browed Pardalotes are found in areas
with very little standing water. They must therefore get their water
requirements from dew or insects. Different metabolism to the Spotteds
and Striateds I suppose.
Greg Little
Greg Little - Principal Consultant
General Flora and Fauna
PO Box 526
Wallsend, NSW, 2287, Australia
Ph 02 49 556609
Fx 02 49 556671
www.gff.com.au
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Bob Cook
Sent: Tuesday, 7 July 2009 1:32 PM
To: 'Sean Dooley'
Cc: 'birding birding-aus'
Subject: Missing Pardalotes Central Victoria
Interesting point, Sean, and including availability of water. We had
three
sources of water near the house over that heat wave period and there was
a
strong hierarchy of who got access priority when they wanted it, e.g.
Currawongs, Kookaburras, Ravens and Magpies at the top, Shrike-thrush,
Wattlebirds, then Honeyeaters, Treecreepers, Shrike-tits and Whistlers,
then
Thornbills, Pardalotes, Scrubwrens & Fairy-wrens. When there was not
such
competition and such extreme weather the Pardalotes very actively used
these
water sources. It is easy to imagine that the little ones found it very
difficult to get water as and when they needed it.
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: Sean Dooley
Sent: Tuesday, 7 July 2009 11:49 AM
To: ; 'Frank Pierce / Janet Mattiske'
Cc: 'birding birding-aus'
Subject: Missing Pardalotes Central Victoria
Just a further thought on the dearth of pardalotes in Victoria, I wonder
what toll the heat wave that preceded the Black Saturday fires had on
these
small birds? With several days of temperatures above 42 degrees, and
with
many reports on Birding-aus at the time of birds dying, I suspect that
tiny
things like pardalotes may have copped a real pounding. Perhaps they
retreated to their breeding hollows for respite but I wouldn't be
surprised
if as many succumbed to the heat as they did to the flames.
Sean
===============================
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
===============================
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.6/2221 - Release Date:
07/06/09 17:54:00
===============================
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
===============================
|
