There have been
records in the last few years of Magpie Geese spreading out to their former
range, even as far south as the Murrumbidgee
irrigation system. I can not confirm this but I feel confident that some
one in the group could confirm or deny this for sure.
However there are now
breeding Magpie Geese in the Shortland? Wetlands on the northern border on
Newcastle.
These have been here
for several years now and migrated into the area by their own
accord.
Magpie Geese were
also a good food source which probably helped their demise in some
areas.
Even in SE Queensland they have dramatically increased in
numbers in the last few years.
John
Cummings
Mission
Australia
Ph 02 6230
0182
Fax 02 6230
0181
Mob 0402 181
002
Email
m("missionaustralia.com.au","cummingsj");">
The
great tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of us while we
live.
From:
[
Sent: Thursday, 11 August
2005 4:36 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds]
[UNCLASSIFIED]RE: [canberrabirds] Magpie Geese at Tidbinbilla
ACT
They are captive,
If I remember rightly
most of the original magpie geese were pinioned, so the birds can never fly.
Some of the birds wings were clipped and regrew but they hung with their
buddies. As a flocking species they dont really have anywhere to
go. Before the fires there were 21 or 22, now there are 21 or
22.
The wetlands area was
not very affected by the fires and the waterbirds were
OK.
The musk ducks are
also captive.
Most other birds
are not captive and introduced themselves and can fly in and
out.
The closest I know of
magpie geese is the SE corner of Qld which is nowhere near here. Over the
years development and draining of wetlands presumably were the reason for the
magpie geese distribution contracting northwards greatly. They used to
occur quite far south.
The rangers saying
they are not captive is really based on technicalities to apease tourists but
in reality they are.
Benj
Whitworth
From: Philip
Veerman [
Sent: Thursday, 11 August 2005 3:23
PM
To: Alastair Smith;
'Nicholas Talbot';
Subject: [canberrabirds] Magpie Geese at
Tidbinbilla ACT
That is intriguing. I wonder
whether any other the former captive Magpie Geese there, survived the fire
(they were breeding there before that). If not and new ones have not been
brought in, could any new birds there be of wild
origin?
