Philip – I’ve found a few
references now to Satin Bower-birds painting their bowers (in my very limited
number of books about birds) but no more that mention tool use to do the
painting. The Reader’s Digest
says they do it with their bills. So
it would be very worthwhile for Carol Probets to publish her notes, especially, as you note, Philip, that it is
not related to feeding as most other examples are and especially if Australia
has only one other tool user (?) in the Black-breasted Buzzard.
Phyl Goddard
-----Original Message-----
From: Philip Veerman
[
Sent: Tuesday, 30 August 2005 5:58
PM
To: Phyl Goddard
Cc:
Subject: pre-European bowers
One would think that is tool use.
Even more interesting is that it is for a use other than feeding. The Palm
Cockatoo may use a stick to make noise. Most egs. concern feeding. Other bird
examples are Egyptian Vultures and Black-breasted Buzzards using stones to
break Ostrich & Emu eggs. I think that the example of the Galapagos
woodpecker finch is famous because they probably to it frequently and so it is
easy to document (if you can get to the right part of the world). I have
written to Carol suggesting that she publish those notes.
