Competition between woodswallow species? & flowering eucalypts

[Michael Lenz <>]

Last week a flock of about 40 White-browed Woodswallows (WbW) was present at a site near Gundaroo, they seemed to have arrived there only recently. At least 3 pairs of Dusky Woodswallows have also been present for several weeks.

Today the WbWs were distributed in pairs right across the site. I counted a minimum of 20 pairs. However, all Dusky Woodswallows were gone. They have bred at this site for the last 11 years or so since I started regular visits. I suspect the presence of so many territorial WbWs, almost evenly distributed across the area, with very similar requirements for food and nest sites may have driven the Duskies away.

Last week I commented that flowering Yellow Boxes in the area failed to attract many insects and birds. The flowers appeared to produce little nectar. Today, the same was true for several flowering Red Boxes.

Michael Lenz