Hello,
I am fairly new to this list and find a lot of the information really great,
but have also come to realize that there are so many species out there I
have not encountered. I hope to go on an organized birding excursion one
day with others. I would just like to make a short comment on feeding wild
birds as I have seen the damage this can cause to many birds who are fed an
artificial diet, as a wildlife rescuer and rehabilitator. Also my dear
mother in law who lived in Sydney, with all good intentions, used to feed
hundreds of Rainbow Lorikeets daily
(a mixture I would not dare give out as it was bad for their health) , and
Galahs ( purely sunflower seed which is also a no no). By doing so she had
kept those birds happy it seemed and they bred up over the years since they
had a food source, albeit an unnatural one. The problem for these birds was
of course the competition for nesting sites which greatly increased, and for
food when she and others stopped feeding them. She was not the only one
doing this on the North Shore at the time. After many years I suppose the
balance would hopefully be restored? This is a serious issue often not
realized by many people who are trying to do the right thing
My point is if you feel the need to feed wildlife (birds in this case), I
would suggest planting a natural diet of native trees and shrubs and using
lots of mulch where the insectivorous birds can find natural food. I have
planted hundreds of trees where I live in Kangaroo Valley and put in several
birdbaths in the garden where I can watch at a reasonably close distance,
the frollicking and rituals of bathing each day.
Thanks
Carla Jackett
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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