From: Martin on 12/04/2000 09:20 AM
To:
cc:
Subject: Natives & ferals in Victoria
Further to Russell Woodfords remarks about Bassian Thrush decline in the Geelong
area west of Melbourne.
An examination of Atlas of Victorian Wildlife data for the species indeed
supports Russells premise. In fact the species appears to have retreated from
its habitats west and north of Melbourne, particularly since 1970.
Common Mynahs on the other hand have been recorded from Echuca on the Murray
River in the north of the state to Wilsons Promontory in the south and from
about Ararat in the west to Mallacoota in the east. The 'march' of this
invasive species, which has been recorded ejecting Eastern Rosellas from tree
hollows, is now occuring up the Hume Highway (the main eastern Australian
Highway) and locals of Chiltern (past Wangaratta) are hoping it doesn't get to
the Box-Ironbark forests around their town. It will be interesting to see what
the new Atlas of Australian Birds shows for the expansion of this species since
the last Atlas.
Chris Tideman has an interesting and informative webpage on this 'creeping
menace'. It can be found at:
http://www.anu.edu.au/srmes/wildlife/myna.html
Martin O'Brien
Executive Scientific Officer - Scientific Advisory Committee
Parks Flora and Fauna Division
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
4/250 Victoria Pde.,
East Melbourne 3002
AUSTRALIA
Tel: 9412 4567
Fax: 9412 4586
(prefixes: Interstate 03 International 613)
email:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit the Biodiversity section of the Department of Natural Resources and
Environment at:
http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/web/root/domino/cm_da/nrenpa.nsf/frameset/NRE+Plants+and+Animals?OpenDocument
To unsubscribe from this list, please send a message to
Include ONLY "unsubscribe birding-aus"
in the message body (without the quotes)
|
