Definition of DY in Aust Wood Ducks

["Philip Veerman" <>]

On the basis that these (and several other birds) are capable of feeding themselves from hatching, yet still depend on their parents for brooding and protection (as distinct from say mallee fowl and brush turkeys that never have any relationship with their parents, so are never dy), I would say another part of behaviour needs to be invoked to set a criterion for those birds. In that case, I suggest it would be whether they are still clearly under direct guidance and protection of the parents. Though that isn't always so easy to draw a dividing line either. Of course it raises the problem that if we had mallee fowl or brush turkeys in our GBS charts or other recording devices, we would miss out on breeding records, purely on the basis that even newly hatched chicks could not be recorded as dy because they are never dependant. It is not such an abstract thought. Brisbane has had a GBS like ours and brush turkeys certainly breed in suburban gardens there.

 

Philip