Regarding the reporting of Emus

[Philip Veerman <>]

When I was editor of CBN from 1986 to 1989 (including being main editor of the ABR, which admittedly back then was substantially GBS and WBS data), I requested along the lines that Ryu suggested as in we publish in CBN, a list of that history of captive birds or birds to be treated as such at Tidbinbilla. Unfortunately it is now too long ago for me to remember with whom or any real details of those discussions with staff there about how to get this information. Maybe I did not push enough. I recall an impression that there was some reluctance to do this, for some sort of bureaucratic reason. Maybe as simple as a lack of staff resources to do the task. Although I might be wrong there.  I don’t know whether any successors or indeed predecessors of mine in the role have pursued the same intent. I still think it is a very useful idea.

 

As for the current problem for Paul, I do not agree with pretending they don’t exist but advocate something simple like a listing, if considered worth the effort, of the probably wild Emu records there, plus a simple statement like: We also have 19 separate database reports of small numbers (1 -5) Emus at TNR but as these are considered as repeat counts of the same captive birds, they are not detailed here.

 

Philip

 

From: Ryu Callaway [
Sent: Saturday, 17 December, 2016 1:38 PM
To: Paul Fennell; Canberrabirds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Regarding the reporting of Emus

 

I think all Tidbinbilla records need to be treated with caution. 

While things like the Musk duck and Brolga are more obvious, distinguishing the captive little pied cormorant from wild visitors would not necessarily be easy. I don't know if they get wild pelicans, but if so, care would need to be taken to separate from the 2 or so captive individuals. 

I reported Freckled Duck on the ponds one time- and then I found out when talking to one of the Volunteer Interpreters that they had been released some time earlier (I think with feathers trimmed) but were free to fly off since their feathers should have grown back. Do these count? Would the average observer or even all the volounteers have known? Who knows what else they may have released there. 

It may be worthwhile to get in touch with Tidbinbilla on a regular basis to be up to date on what they have been doing there, and perhaps posting updates and a list (with counts) of captive birds or birds to be treated as such to the chatline.

In the meantime, I just report everything (as do a number of others), and trust that someone in the data analysis process knows what counts and what doesn't.

 

Ryu