The situation that Alan Morris describes concerning coastal
populations of Long-billed Corellas in NSW, mirrors the situation here in SE
Queensland. Long-billed Corellas are increasingly common in these parts and are
regular in areas where one never saw them just a few years ago. Flocks of 20 or
30 are regular now in parts of the Lockyer Valley. They have even made their
way onto my house list in the last 12 months.
It would be sad to see them out compete Galahs for
nest-sites, but we can’t deny the reality that there are numerous populations of
Long-billed Corellas in Queensland which appear to be growing.
In the same way that overseas species such as Spotted Doves
and Common Mynahs have been accepted, albeit reluctantly, onto the Australian
list, so Long-billed Corellas have I think reached the point where must be
regarded as a resident and breeding Queensland bird.
Bill Jolly
“Abberton”,
Lockyer Valley,
Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email: m("abberton.org","birdstay");">
Ph: (+61) 7
4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
-----Original
Message-----
From:
[On
Behalf Of Alan Morris
Sent: Tuesday, 5 August 2003 4:36
PM
To:
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Little
Corellas at Brunswick Heads, NSW
Hi
Birders,
Judith
Lukin-Amundsen on 5 August 2003 raised the question as to whether the flocks of
Little Corellas (and Long-billed Corellas) that can now be found in all
coastal towns from the Queensland to the Victorian border, including Brunswick
Heads, are outside of their normal range or are they feral flocks. The answer
yes, they are outside their "used to be" normal range, but since the
1980s small feral flocks of both species have become established in coastal
urban and rural areas to the extent that these populations are now large,
widespread and common! They are just as much at home on the playing fields at
Bateau Bay (or Brusnwick Heads) these days as they are on the saltbush plains and
mallee remnants at Swan Hill or Broken Hill! On the Central Coast, NSW both
species are as common as Galahs, and as they dominate Galahs when selecting
nesting holes, I wonder if they are now gradually replacing the Galahs as they
fight over the same nesting holes!
Alan
Morris
Records
Officer, Birding NSW
