That whole idea raises an interesting question. Does
feeding the local nesting currawong pair prevent them taking the frogmouth chicks over the back fence? I doubt it. Of course we could do vast amounts of experimental citizen
science to investigate this. And the results are likely to be equivocal or vary over place and conditions at the time. What is more likely is that
feeding the local nesting currawong pair
(when this is done by lots of people) allows the Currawong population to increase. Our GBS results clearly show the change over the years in their status locally. Having more Currawongs will inevitably increase predation on other things like the frogmouths.
I suggest their instinct for predation is not likely to be turned off by being fed.
Philip
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Thursday, 15 September, 2016 9:21 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Strategic bird feeding
It is necessary to feed the local nesting currawong pair to prevent them taking the frogmouth chicks over the back fence. The frogmouths are in favour of this strategy. The bowerbirds are capable of resisting the currawong advances towards
the morning handful of grapes. The peafowl are something else. Grape dispensing does not occur if peafowl are about.
