Re: [canberrabirds) Superb Parrots - food sources

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re food of Superbs 
I have no expertise in this area at all, however I had look at the patches of degraded stubble and dust where the Superbs have been grazing on Macquarie oval and the common denominator seems to be heavy infestation of Cluster Clover that has died down and has quite a lot of seed in its heads,
Muriel Edwards

09/01/2006 03:28 PM

To:                            cc:         Subject & File Ref: [canberrabirds] [UNCLASSIFIED] Superb P

 I was reading the Lowland Woodlands strategy last night
If I remember rightly it was saying Superb parrots come to Canberra after breeding to eat acacia seeds.
However, when I first saw them in late summer 1996 at Hawker ovals I am almost certain they were eating nectar from flowering blue gums. 
Superbs have been found to breed in Canberra, so are here now. I live in Hawker and we have a large wattle, black wattle I think, which is seeding now. It would be interesting to really sort out what they eat, but I suspect as you suggest that it is a combination of food sources. Working out food sources may be a key to determining how to restore populations and why they seem more common now in Canberra than previously.

Benj Whitworth


-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb [ 
Sent: Monday, 9 January 2006 2:24 PM
To: Whitworth, Benjamin - BRS
Subject: Re: [UNCLASSIFIED]RE: [canberrabirds] Suburban postcards continued

Benj


Those pics were taken at Binalong.  They certainly relish A baileyana pods at a certain stage.  I think the local A b is now too dry - although there may be seed on the ground.    I got a good reply from Rosemary B who indicated some fruit-eating. 
They certainly attack cherries out in the cherry country.  I would be reasonably certain they are here opportunistically for what food they can get.  This could include acacia seeds, fruit, spilt grain, maybe the seeds of some weeds ... g


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