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Hi ,
just a comment on the fruit doves/pidgeons and
their expansion south.We get most of them here in Bundaberg and surrounds at
times.I've noticed however in the last 10 years that they are now turning up in
residential yards more often( including ours ..which admittedly is more
vegetated in recent years).We've had a Wompoo and a Rose-crowned Fruit
Dove this season.A friend had a White Headed Pidgeon about the same
time.
Unfortunately I suspect the main reason is a lack
of food.These birds,of course, cover large areas in pursuit of
tucker.Rather than turn up their toes,they may be prepared to travel much
further south than they'd like just to survive.Habitat destruction in Qld
is still racing on.A major area of riparian vine scrub including figtrees at
Moore Park near us was recently gutted for subdivision.This area used to be
a place where the Coxens Figparrot along with most of the pidgeons where
regular...only a few years ago.
Similar analogies may be relevant to fruit bat
expansion ,particularly into urban areas.
Bill
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