G'day All,
At first I thought this was a ruse from Unca Tones
like the mysterious reply I got for my order of
Viagra?
But no it's not from the imp next door? in fact this
is true?
I therfore ask what studies have been carried out for
the land clearing at present taking place in
Queensland? which bird species will we lose? how much
compensation will Mr.and Mrs. Australian get for this
bird loss? what other bird species will be affected?
what other wildlife will become threatened.
Source: National Wildlife, August-Sept 1999 pNA.
Title: Starlings in Decline: Really!(Brief
Article)
Subjects: Starlings - Statistics Birds, Protection of
- Planning Endangered species - England
Locations: England
Electronic Collection: A55466311
RN: A55466311
Believe it or not, starling numbers have fallen by
half in the past quarter of a century, and they're
still plummeting. Biologists are so concerned that
they have recommended the bird be added to an
endangered species list.
There has to be a joke here I bet this is Unca Tones
doing?
But don't expect starlings in your life to dwindle --
not, that is, unless you live in Britain, home of the
troubled starling population.
Oh Oh it ain't ...
Ironically, Britain also is the starling's native
habitat, along with Eurasia and North Africa.
Elsewhere in the world, there is no love lost for the
species, which dines in vast flocks on livestock feed,
spreads disease and competes with native birds for
food and nesting sites. The social and aggressive
birds can nest in any sort of cavity and eat food
ranging from insects to grains and fruit. Introduced
to North America in the 1890s, the starling is now one
of the United States' most abundant birds, thriving in
all of the contiguous 48 states. Estimates of starling
numbers here reach as high as 150 million. In Britain,
the starling still is far from extinction. But as one
wildlife expert told a Plymouth newspaper, 'We used to
get some very big starling roosts in the autumn and
winter with millions of birds. Nowadays you can count
them, when at one time they were literally countless.'
Scientists think the
causes of the decline involve farming practices that
have poisoned insect prey with pesticides and chopped
down grassland habitat.
Gee farming practices eh better not let the Queensland
Government hear this? Bet I know where the children of
those POME farmers are now?
Other farmland bird populations too are reeling from
the impacts of land degradation/clearing and excessive
chemical usage.
=====
Hastings,
Where Western Port waders regularily meet.
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