canberrabirds

A lerp in the dark?

To: <>
Subject: A lerp in the dark?
From: "Paul Fennell" <>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:45:45 -0800
What impressed me about the Superbs feeding on lerps was how fast and dedicated they were.  I got the impression they were almost "vacuuming" the leaves in quick succession.  They were really hard at it.  Serious work!
 
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Monday, 23 January 2006 6:17 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] A lerp in the dark?

An excellent question, Tom, which prompts me, as Ian recommends, to have a bit of a speculate.
 
I have noticed pardalotes and weebills attacking large lerps and getting hold of big fat psyllids.  I have also noticed feeding wattlebirds flicking away the scales and collecting a spattering of them over their bills/faces.  On the other hand, with parrots and Gang-gangs my impression is that they clean off and swallow the whole thing - if they can.  I had thought they were targeting the sugary scale, and didn't care if the insect had vacated it or not.
 
With the heavy lerp infestation at Belconnen, the lerps seem to be quite small, and many seem fresh.  Probably the psyllid nymphs are at home.  Would that not be a great source of protein, particularly for the dependant birds, and one that would be very accessible to the parrot's feeding method?  I have noticed that the regurgitated food dribbled to the young is a thick sticky liquid. Sugar for energy and protein for growth (are the adults in moult as well?) would be available in the one hit.  (I ran into Henry Nix while mulling over that this morning, and in a brief conversation he agreed, although he may wish to reserve his position on whether or not that was out of politeness.)
 
I don't know much about the psyllid infestation cycle, annual or multi-year, but I gather from the web pages that they can be quite localised.  The concentration in Belconnen might be the best for many miles around.  I have suspected for some time that lerps, like politicians, represent a field  where Canberra can more than hold its own against other regions of Australia.  From ordinary observations, quite a bit of visiting bird activity is aimed at them (lerps that is, not politicians).  The returning Swift Parrots with young were attacking lerps last Autumn at Hackett, unlike - as I recall -  the adults that were south-bound in Spring.  (Debbie will have fuller notes on that.)   
 
 
    
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