Hi birders
Some musing on that feral pest the Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) in
Victoria, Australia ....
A couple of observations this Autumn have me wondering whether some
proportion of the Victorian Blackbird population might be migratory -
even if its just the kind of altitudinal migration seen in various
indigenous birds here. Let me elaborate ...
At two sites I've visited in the last fortnight, I've come across groups
of Blackbirds (about 10 birds in each case) roosting/resting in isolated
patches of vegetation in farmland during the day. In one case the patch
was a cluster of pines in a vast dry grassy paddock, no understorey -
very un-Blackbird-like habitat (Craigieburn, northern Melbourne). The
others were laid up in a mess of Spanish Heath (Erica lusitanica)
underneath remnant Swamp Gums (Eucalyptus ovata) in farmland (south of
Colac, northern Otway Ranges foothills). Both sites were at about 200m
above sea level, and perhaps less than 50km from more upland forest
(>500m ASL). In both cases they flushed in groups, and didn't give the
characteristic Blackbird cackle that usually accompanies such disturbance.
This seems vaguely like migrant behaviour to me. Thrushes like these
often migrate at night in their natural range, and lay up in various
copses of vegetation during the day. In the Craigieburn example,
several migrant Grey Fantails were noted in an adjacent patch in the
paddock.
I'd be interested in any comments on this matter. Does anyone live in
an upland kind of place with fluctuating Blackbird numbers which might
suggest regular short - medium distance movements? Any other similar
observations? The 'big picture' data presented in the New Atlas
publication are not finely resolved enough to address this question -
particularly if only some Blackbirds are migrating/moving.
L.
--
=================================
Lawrie Conole
Senior Ecologist
Ornithology & Terrestrial Ecology
Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd.
Flora and Fauna Consultants
88B Station Street
FAIRFIELD VIC 3078 Australia
E-mail:
Internet: http://www.ecologyaustralia.com.au/
Ph: (03) 9489 4191; Mob: (0419) 588 993
Fax: (03) 9481 7679
ABN 83 006 757 142
NOTE: This message may contain privileged and/or confidential
information intended for addressees only. If you are not the intended
recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure,
use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited by
State and Commonwealth Acts Of Parliament including the Victorian
Information Privacy Act 2000.
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
