I would expect it is the same as for a number of other birds and animals,
that humans (and their lifestyles) have benefited some animals including birds
but disadvantaged others. I have had currawongs at my house for the last two
years and they have cleaned out all the nests that were made in the backyard
last spring (about 5-6). Let me know if anyone knows how to get rid of
them.
I expect that non-natives such as pyracantha berries, certainly have
assisted their thriving. Walk from the Mawson park and drive to Woden to view
the huge amounts of berries and feeding currawongs especially in the earlier
mornings! These bushes need to be removed as they are obviously a significant
food source and the birds spread the eliminated seed wide and far. I have
thousands of these seedlings now coming up in my garden. Perhaps COG and ANPS
can lobby to have these removed as they are on public land? There are a number
of other areas that have similar plantings on public land which should be
identified and removed.
Victoria
From:
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2012 5:06 PM
To:
Cc:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Currawongs getting rid of
Koel
Was
it always thus, or have currawongs become big bad bogey men since the
urbanisation of their range?
Margaret
Leggoe
From: Philip
Veerman [
Sent: Saturday, 15 September
2012 2:49 PM
To:
Subject:
[canberrabirds] Currawongs getting rid of Koel
That
last year
they even chased a Koel away is
hardly surprising, they have a vested interest. Most host species want to remove
their nest parasites.........
-----Original Message-----From: Geoff Duggan
Sent: Friday, 14 September 2012 4:14 PM To: Subject:
[canberrabirds] bks in hughes
I was not surprised to
read that a BKS was seen in Hughes but then moved on. Hughes is
becoming infested with Currawongs, getting rid of everything in site...last year
they even chased a Koel away. I recently saw a woman who lives near me
actually feeding balls of mince meat to them. When I asked her about this she
said lots of people she knows feed Currawongs because “then they won’t take baby
birds from the nests”!! I could not change her mind.
So...I was wondering if there are any official publications, leaflets etc
advising against this bad habit. Perhaps COG could arrange with
Government for a letterbox drop to advise against it, or even a newspaper
article. If people all over Canberra are feeding Currawongs then no wonder
they re reaching plague proportions