Observations of Powerful Owls, Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne

["Euan Fothergill" <>]

I wonder if a bite sized koala would fight back quite as hard as a fully grown brushy, I suspect that unless as you say they are taken by surprise, a brushy is too big for them. More likely your second theory, of chasing away a potential predator.

Regards Euan

 

>From: Lawrie Conole <>

>To: Laurie Living <>

>CC: birding-aus <>, Geoff <>, Ian Rainbow <>, Graham Beal <>, Euan Fothergill <>, Keith Johnson <>, Ken Harris <>, Mark Fanthorpe <>

>Subject: Re: [BIRDING-AUS] Observations of Powerful Owls, Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne

>Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 09:33:05 +1000

>

>Laurie Living wrote:

>

>>Now while this might seem like 'meals on wheels' brought right to

>>the door, it seems that brushies are not as much of a treat as

>>gliders or ring-tailed possums and I have seldom seen them in the

>>clutches of daily roosting Powerful Owls. And perhaps the owl had

>>just been satisfied with some better food [and sex] from the male.

>>Any comment?

>

>

>Hi Laurie

>

>In the Brisbane Ranges west of Melbourne, Powerful Owls have been

>seen to grab the odd young Koala ("young on back" sized morsel). So

>I think brushies are well within the target culinary range, but no

>doubt something of a handful if not taken by surprise. The other

>matter is that brushies are known nestling/egg predators, so the owl

>may have been seeing off what it saw as a potential threat to its

>young - as opposed to lunch turned down!

>

>Lawrie

>

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>=================================

>Lawrie Conole

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>Ornithology & Terrestrial Ecology

>

>Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd.

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>

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