From: Martin on 25/06/2001 09:40 AM
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cc:
Subject: Pied Butcherbirds (Vic.)
Steve Clark inquires about the distribution of Pied Butcherbirds (Cracticus
torquatus) in Victoria.
The old Atlas of Victorian Birds (1987) has the following comments:
'Pied Butcherbirds inhabit strips of River Red Gum forest and nearby dry
woodlands along the (lower) Murray River and its tributaries (eg. Goulburn
River), where annual rainfall is less than 600mm. In the northwest, birds
occasionally inhabit small isolated stands of mallee scrub remaining in
croplands...'
And a look at recent Atlas of Victorian Wildlife data for the species indicates
that their are a handful of records well south of the Murray Valley, for eg.
near Casterton, Horsham and Rainbow. All but the Casterton record were
pre-1994, however. Maybe Steve's observation is within the natural range of the
species although it is still an 'unusual' record.
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:
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