canberrabirds

Currawongs getting rid of Koel

To: "Margaret Leggoe" <>, "'Philip Veerman'" <>
Subject: Currawongs getting rid of Koel
From: "victoria" <>
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2012 20:24:36 +1000
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

 

Geoff Duggan

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