Brush Turkey invasion ??

[Andrew Taylor <>]

I'm not sure anyone posted a link to yesterday's Herald story:
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/first-it-was-the-march-of-the-cane-toad-x2026-now-the-brush-turkey-is-eating-sydney-20091101-hrku.html

The reporter unfortunately has jumbled some details - koels and
Channel-billed Cuckoos are unlikely to displace small birds.
By parasitizing wattlebirds & currawongs respectively they might
even assist smaller birds.

An alternative explanation for koels & CBCs increase in Sydney abundance
(mentioned in the above article) is  diet, as other frugivores like
White-headed Pigeon & Figbird have also been expanding south.  But maybe
it host availability.  One koel host - Magpie-lark was formerly much
more abundant in Sydney - but Figbirds & wattlebirds are certainly more
abundant now.  Not sure if CBCs have more hosts available now.

Andrew