There has been quite a lot of discussion on Birding-Aus in the past
regarding "footedness" in cockatoos. If I remember correctly, it
boiled down to most cockatoo species being predominantly left-footed
(with the exception perhaps of some captive birds) and the Crimson
Rosella being mostly right-footed. I don't think anyone had noticed
which foot other species of parrot were using. Certainly all my
observations here in the Blue Mountains conform to the above,
including Sulphur-cresteds, Gang-gang, Yellow-tailed and Glossy Black
all being left-footed. There's obviously something strange going on
with the cockatoos on paddocks around Wagga Wagga!
Incidentally, the invasion of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos into the Blue
Mountains over the past 20 years has been very conspicuous. During
the 80s they were quite a rare sight; these days each neighbourhood
seems to have its own flock of 60-100, making a huge din as they
wheel around and descend on unwitting houses, or dive from the
clifftops to roost in the valleys at dusk. Now the Rainbow Lorikeets
are also moving into parts of the mountains where they didn't occur
previously and I fear their increase will be even greater than the
SCCs. I mention these things because it seems a similar thing might
be happening in Canberra, or is on the brink of happening.
cheers,
Carol
At 9:12 PM +1000 24/4/07, John Layton wrote:
The cockatoos snip off a spray of berries, take it in their left
foot and eat. A wise old birder once told me Canberra cockies
(birds, not farmers) always put food in their mouths using the left
foot. However, an ever-vigilant brat, hovering behind me, says that
S-c Cockatoos, feeding on paddocks around Wagga, always use their
right foot. I have watched Crimson Rosellas feeding on our Silver
Birch fruit, and they all appear to be right-footed feeders.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carol Probets
Guided birding in the Blue Mountains & Capertee Valley
PO Box 330
Katoomba NSW 2780
Web: http://www.bmbirding.com.au
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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