It’s all in the archive somewhere. Maybe this is openable, maybe not
From: Canberrabirds <>
On Behalf Of Philip Veerman
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2023 11:05 AM
To: 'Canberra birds' <>
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Narrabundah scene this morning
I recall someone eminent (I suspect maybe Graham Chapman, maybe Graham Pizzey or someone similar?) writing to me, years ago, to point out that butcherbirds don’t
ever impale prey on hooks or spikes. That is something that shrikes do and the idea has been carried forward onto butcherbirds. Maybe because at times, the two names are confused, because they are similar. Anyway butcherbirds do use tree forks etc and like
what Geoffrey has shown, for this purpose. Whoever it was, was correcting me for having also made the wrong connection.
Philip
From: Canberrabirds
On Behalf Of Kim Farley via Canberrabirds
Sent: Friday, 22 December, 2023 10:13 AM
To: Geoffrey Dabb
Cc: Canberrabirds
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Narrabundah scene this morning
Another great cartoon Geoffrey and one that also shows their interesting behaviour. I guess it's a smallish step from using twigs, forks or branches to secure prey to using that nifty spiral clip.
I hope the young bird eventually gets a good Christmas dinner.
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FW: [canberrabirds] impaled Spotted Pardalote |
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Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:54:27 +1100 |
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canberrabirds
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FW: [canberrabirds] impaled Spotted Pardalote
The question of whether Butcherbirds actually impale their prey in their arboreal ‘larder’ will probably remain with us for ever. I certainly used to believe
they did. I have seen impaled birds and lizards. When I was a child and my grandfather showed me, he said it was a butcherbird which did it. But I admit I have never actually seen a butcherbird do it nor any actual proof that a butcherbird impales anything.
So I am not so sure. The real explanation is in the origin of the name. Northern hemisphere shrikes do impale their prey and they used to be called butcherbirds in England. Indeed their Genus Lanius means butcher. I suspect that Australian butcherbirds were
so named from their resemblance to English butcherbirds (shrikes), not because anyone had actually seen them impaling their prey. Many of our bird names derive from some resemblance to an English bird, like the Magpie, and I suspect Butcherbird is one of them
The shrikes of Northern Hemisphere apparently do this. It has been mentioned or supposed that our Butcherbirds do this too but I recall a few years ago Graeme
Chapman saying that they never do this. They will wedge prey into tree forks etc to help tear it apart but he says not impale them.
Philip
As I was walking a dog along Launceston St. by the Canberra College close to the Yamba Drive I found an impaled Pardalote. A thin twig pierced through a breast to the back. In Japan a shrike is supposed to do
this kind of things, though a prey is not as large as this, I think. It looks as if a strong wind broke the twig and the dead bird fell on the path. Would a Grey Butcherbird do this? A Currawong would eat it on the spot? He ate a House Sparrow in a tree
in our garden. I do not recall hearing any Grey Butcherbird calling around this area. Who is responsible? Can anyone tell me?
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