Hallo to all,
Simpson and Day has it that CBM's are primarily seed eaters
and "when breeding, eat insects, especially flying termites. Possibly
the CBM's have also heard of the food value of maggots .
In his book, Shorebirds of Australia, John Pringle says of the Ruddy
Turnstone, and I quote: " Turnstones are voracious feeders that eat almost
anything. They have been seen to feed on carrion, though more often
perhaps, they are searching for the maggots or larvae of blowflies which
breed in it. In the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, thousands of
turnstones fatten up each year before their southward migration by feasting
on maggots from the carcasses of fur seals that are slaughtered in July."
He then goes on to say that sometimes they grow so fat on this abundant food
they have difficulty in flying.
Phil Joy
P O Box 21
Broome
W A 6725
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Todd <>
To: Kirrama Wildlife Tours <>
Cc: <>
Date: Sunday, 1 March 1998 9:19
Subject: Re: Chestnut-breasted Vultures
>Kirrama Wildlife Tours wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone,
>> the most commonly road-killed animals in our region are the Northern
>> Brown
>> Bandicoots and Cane Toads. Nothing unusual about that, but I am
>> puzzled by
>> the presence of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins picking on the carrion.
>> First I
>> thought that the bandicoots might have had something delicious in
>> their
>> stomachs, but since they also pick on the cane toads that can't be.
>> Sometimes there are just a pair, but I counted up to six actually
>> picking
>> on the dead creatures, not just looking. The questions remains: What
>> are
>> they interested in?
>> Does anyone know?
>> Happy Birding, Klaus
>> Kirrama Wildlife Tours Klaus & Brenda Uhlenhut
>> PO Box 133 SILKWOOD QLD Australia
>> http://www.gspeak.com.au/kirrama
>
> Hello Klaus,
>
>I am sure that I have read of Red-browed Finches doing this same thing.
>However, I can't remember off the top of my head what it was they were
>feeding on or where I read it. I think it may have been in an old volume
>of the Emu. When I get a chance I will try to locate it.
>
>Off the top of my head could they be feeding on insects, perhaps
>maggots, in the roadkills? Of course if they are actually feeding on the
>carrion I guess it would be an excellent source of protein for feeding
>young!
>
>Regards,
>
>Michael
>
>--
>Michael Todd,
>Department of Biological Sciences
>University of Newcastle,
>Callaghan, N.S.W., 2308
>
>
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