birding-aus
"Pennydb" asks about exotic Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and native birds
consuming them. The following may be of interest. No records of Red
Wattle Birds eating exotic bees.
I have only seen Bee-eaters (Merops ornatus) predating on honeybees but
have observed Grey Shrike Thrushes (Colluricincla harmonica) preying on the
much smaller native bees of at least two species while in south-west
Tasmania.
David Paton (1996) has written a useful text titled "Overview of the
impacts of feral and managed honeybees in Australia". (Australian Nature
Conservation Agency, Canberra).
There is also a journal aimed at raising the awareness of our native bee
fauna (Aussie Bee) which is produced by the Australian Native Bee Research
Centre in NSW (PO Box 74-G, North Richmond, NSW 2754). The journal
welcomes information on what birds consume native bees.
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
Victoria, AUSTRALIA
tel: +61 3 9412 4567
fax: +61 3 9412 4586
e-mail:
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