Great questions of bird behaviour #37

["Philip Veerman" <>]

This is likely unhelpful to the tone of this chat list but seeing as the question was posed here. I will explain..........It is there by following the thread. 

 

Correct. There was no suggestion from me or anyone that pelicans eating dogs has any direct connection with banding.

 

Martin requested Does anyone have a copy of the article, so seeking access to the publication Australian Birds 20:1-3). it could have just been left to someone to offer. In my typically helpful manner, I hinted that some local (as in local are more convenient) people, are likely have that publication, back to 1985 (hence the "older"). I never was a subscriber, it is however my memory that Australian Birds contained a lot of information about bird banding. Thus on the balance of probability I expect that benders are likely to be subscribers and thus a likely source of obtaining the publication. If I remember that incorrectly, so be it, but that is hardly important to anyone.

 

Various members do keep these things, just as for example I have all the ABW - AFO from 1963 to now and all the Emu from 1969 to 2009.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Clayton [
Sent: Sunday, 12 January 2014 4:34 PM
To: 'Philip Veerman'; 'Martin Butterfield'
Cc: 'COG List'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Great questions of bird behaviour #37

As one of the “local, older, especially banding folk” referred to by Philip Veerman, I am at a loss to see what pelicans eating dogs has to do with banding and having a printed version of Australian Birds. Please explain!

 

Mark

 

From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Sunday, 12 January 2014 3:19 PM
To: 'Martin Butterfield'
Cc: 'COG List'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Great questions of bird behaviour #37

 

Yes it is outlandish. I notice later on the same page (top of column 2) it says "mammals, small dogs probably (Campbell & Sonter 1985., M.A. Cameron" - is that Professor Margaret Cameron?)" I don't know about a on-line version but surely some of the local, older, especially banding folk, would have the printed version of Australian Birds.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Butterfield
Sent: Sunday, 12 January 2014 12:59 PM
To: Philip Veerman
Cc: Denis Wilson; Geoffrey Dabb; COG List
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Great questions of bird behaviour #37

Philip is quite correct in his reference to the material in HANZAB.  

 

However I had always believed that the reports of a Pelican eating a small dog were an urban - or possibly coastal - legend.  I have been unable to track down an on-line version of the reference cited in HANZAB (Campbell J and C Sonter "Australian Birds 20:1-3) which from other references is apparently titled "Unusual food items of pelicans".  

 

Does anyone have a copy of the article or otherwise know the provenance of the story?

 

Martin