Black Shouldered Kite

["Margaret Leggoe" <>]

The legs don’t look like marsupial legs either.  I’ll go with the rat.  Hope he catches more of them.

 

From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Saturday, 23 June 2012 12:24 AM
To: 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Black Shouldered Kite

 

I agree with Mark, not just on the length of the tail but the size of what is left of the body is too big for a mouse. Possibly but unlikely a (native) water rat, though it doesn't have the white end to the tail. Antechinus tails are not like that. I wonder if there are any small native mammals (I mean marsupials) living there.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Clayton [m("bigpond.com","chollop7");">]
Sent: Friday, 22 June 2012 8:10 PM
To: 'Lindell'; 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Black Shouldered Kite

Lindell,

 

Going by the length of the tail, I would say it is an introduced Black Rat, Rattus rattus.

 

Mark

 

From: Lindell [m("gmail.com","lindell.em");">]
Sent: Friday, 22 June 2012 6:37 PM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: [canberrabirds] Black Shouldered Kite

 

Seen having dinner by the road to Kelly's Swamp car park this afternoon.

Can anyone tell me if this a regular house mouse or a native mammal that is being consumed?

A juvenile Grey Butcherbird was hanging around I guess waiting for anything that may be discarded.

But the Kite didn't hang around for too long before flying off with catch across the road towards the swamp.

 

Lindell

 

Griffith
ACT