Many thanks Martin or the info.
I still however don't know if you get large flocks like house sparrows.
Michel Norris also responded saying:
>From the Readers Digest book of British Birds: In UK hardly ever found
far from human settlements. Nest in loose colonies (eg. adjacent bushes)
building untidy cup nest of grass, moss and roots with lining of roots.
Nests in hedges, bushes or trees.
My recollection is that the nest is not that untidy - sure goldfinch are
much neater but it's nothing like the football of rubbish that house
sparrows create (partly by nicking bits of the nests of Ozzie species).
Since I moved to Australia my experience is that local numbers can
fluctuate very much: 5 years ago there was a colony but since then only
occasional pairs. The historical records for my area also suggest
marked ups and downs.
Michael Norris
Cheers
Mauro
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin O'Brien [SMTP:
> Sent: Tuesday, 21 July, 1998 11:26 AM
> To:
> Subject: Greenfinch introductions to Australia
>
>
> Mauro makes mention of Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) sightings in the
> Adelaide Hills.
>
> Greenfinches were introduced into Australia in Victoria during the 1860s
> (and later) around Melbourne. They were liberated in South Australia in
> 1879 or earlier. The species is now widespread over much of se Australia
> and Tasmania.
>
> Long [1981](from which this information is taken) says there is little
> evidence, as yet, of crop damage by the birds, but that in the 1920s
> Greenfinches caused damage to fruit and grain crops in New Zealand.
>
> They may of course directly compete with other seed eaters. I can think
> of
> Sparrow competition with Orange-bellied Parrots for foods in Victoria as
> an
> example of this.
>
> Martin O'Brien
> Executive Scientific Officer
> Scientific Advisory Committee
> Threatened Species Program
> Department of Natural Resources and Environment
> 4/250 Victoria Pde.,
> East Melbourne, 3002
> AUSTRALIA
>
> tel: +61 3 9412 4567
> fax: +61 3 9412 4586
> e-mail:
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
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