Peter,
As you probably know from my many writings on
this, Canberra Ornithologists Group has been doing a Garden Bird Survey
continuously since 1981. I won't attempt to answer your question here but all
the questions you asked are clearly answered with detailed long-term data for
Canberra. The only thing not covered is hybrids of which the only one we get
(and only occassionally) is hybrids of Crimson & Eastern Rosellas. We have
1151 observer years (43273 observer weeks) of data assembled and it is ongoing.
There are many parrot species in Canberra. All of the larger species have
increased dramatically over the last 18 years for which data are assembled. Only
one (Red-rumped Parrot) has declined (but remains common in adjacent woodland)
and one (Eastern Rosella) has stayed stable. Detailed information on the survey
and graphs of long-term and monthly abundance of 150 species will be released in
my report on the GBS soon. The Book: Birds of
Canberra Gardens, a PR version of some of that information from the GBS,
was so enamoured with the parrots of Canberra - because they are such a major
part of the bird fauna - that it started with them.
Philip
-----Original Message----- From:
Peter Them <> To:
BIRDING AUS (E-mail) <> Date:
Monday, 19 March 2001 2:43 Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] RFI Suburban
and Agricultural areas Parrots
Dear All
;
Greeting from the green winter Denmark.
I am interested in
the number of wild parrot species - natural as well as feral - found in
cities and towns as well as in agricultural areas.
It is amazing
how much parrot life you can find in the heart of big cities and towns
as well as in the agricultural areas.
It would be nice to have a
reasonably comprehensive list of species which have shown major
population changes in the last 10 years.
Having a special
interest in parrot distributions, I am interested in the way in which
species adapt, or fail to adapt, to the changing conditions in the
suburbs of cities and towns as well as in agricultural areas.
It
appears that adaptation to man-made habitats has had dramatic
consequences - adverse or favourable effects - for the distribution
of some parrot species species.
I would like to conduct a survey
on parrot species which have become either more or less common in suburbs
and agricultural areas in the last ten years.
In your responses
please state :
(1) The name of the species.
(2) Whether it
has increased or decreased in the last ten years.
(3) Parrot species
regularly seen in the streets and urban gardens as
well as in the agricultural areas.
(4) In which city or
agricultural area you have observed the change.
(5) Any
factors which you believe may have contributed to the change.
(6)
Observations of parrot hybrids.
I look forward with pleasure and
interest to your observations!
Thanks in advance for your
response.
Best wishes, Peter
Peter H. Them, DK-Denmark,
e-mail:
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