GANG GANG CENTRAL

[Alberta Hayes <>]

Hi Bruce, everyone,
I've been spending a fair bit of time at a friend's house in Chapman, on Namatjira drive lately. I regularly see between 1-4 Gang Gangs feeding along the street and a little up Streeton and Dunbury streets. 

Around this area there are also a lot of Corellas and S-c cockatoos, although I haven't yet seen these birds interact with the Gang Gangs.

Alberta Hayes, Monash.

On Sun, May 23, 2010 at 12:37 PM, Bruce Lindenmayer <> wrote:

Last week I visited a private back garden in a southern Canberra suburb, where I was astounded to see some 5 or 6 feeding tables covered in sunflower seeds, with the largest flock of Gang gang Cockatoos I have ever seen in the ACT. There were more than 20 birds along with much smaller numbers of Little Corellas, Sulphur-Cresteds, Crimson Rosellas and King Parrots. The Gang gangs were extremely tame and approachable. Next to the feeding tables were very large bags of seed.

 

The elderly resident claimed that birds had been fed like this for more than 30 years, with up to 43 Gang gangs observed foraging at once. Other parrots were "chased away".

 

There were at least four birds in immature plumage, so one could assume that there are now generations of Gang gang dependent on foraging at that site.

 

I made the obvious point (diplomatically, I hope) that the birds might have some problems when inevitably, they would no longer be able to be fed in this way. However, I  am sure that nothing will change in the short term.

 

Whilst the property in question is several km from Chapman, I now suspect there is a reason why I have never seen a Gang gang here.

 

Given the general scarcity of Gang gangs and their iconic status in the ACT, I think this matter is unfortunate, although I don't know whether there is anything that could be done about it.

 

Other opinions?

 

Cheers,

 

Bruce