2004 05:58:00 EST
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From: Thom Smith <>
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Subject: black honeyeater
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 15:36:07 -0400
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An apparent black honeyeater was spotted recently in the USA in
Williamstown
in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. My questions are: Is this
bird
apt to get this lost? Is it sold as a caged bird that may have escaped?
The person that saw it is an extremely good birder. It isn't a
sighting we
would record but do find it of interest.
Thank you!
Thom Smith
Thomas G. Smith, Curator
The Berkshire Museum
39 South Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Phone: 413-443-7171 ext. 17
How on earth do the birds
know it is a sanctuary?
--Sir Keith Joseph,
Conservative MP
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most closely related to the
highland Papuan honeyeaters of the genus Melidectes.
This research backs up a number of observations, particularly behavioural=
similarities between Regent Honeyeaters and the large wattlebirds,
similarities in the colour and pattern of the eggs and similarities in
calls.
Most notably, the begging calls of juvenal Regent Honeyeaters are almost
inseparable from that of Red Wattlebirds. In addition, some vocalisations=
of Regent Honeyeaters have previously been interpreted as vocal mimicry of=
wattlebird calls. As Driskell & Christidis suggest, this may in fact
simply reflect the shared phylogenetic history of the two genera.
While this research has highlighted the relatedness of Regent Honeyeaters=
with the large wattlebird species it does not diminish the fact that
Regent Honeyeaters are still very much endangered. If anything it throws
up questions as to why the Regent Honeyeater has become so threatened
while it's closest relative, the Red Wattlebird, continues to do so well.
Cheers
David Geering
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator
Department of Environment & Conservation
P.O. Box 2111
Dubbo NSW 2830
Ph: 02 6883 5335 or Freecall 1800 621 056
Fax: 02 6884 9382
This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain
confidential information.
If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and then de=
lete the message. Views expressed in this message may be those of the indiv=
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vironment and Conservation.
--=_alternative 0013F6A8CA256F02_=
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">"</font><font size=3D2 color=3D=
blue face=3D"sans-serif">I only recently saw my first Regent Honeyeater at =
Chiltern NP (Vic) last year and then I thought it was like a big colourful =
Wattlebird</font><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">". Actually,=
they are like a small colourful wattlebird ... but, not to worry.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">For those that haven't read the piec=
e in question, the large wattlebirds, the Red and Yellow, are more closely =
related to the Regent Honeyeater than they are to the Little and Brush Watt=
lebirds. It is possible that the Regent Honeyeater may eventually be reclas=
sified and be included within the <i>Anthochaera</i> genus.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">This approach is contrary to the pre=
vious held idea that the Regent Honeyeater was in a monotypic genus probabl=
y most closely related to the highland Papuan honeyeaters of the genus <i>M=
elidectes</i>.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">This research backs up a number of o=
bservations, particularly behavioural similarities between Regent Honeyeate=
rs and the large wattlebirds, similarities in the colour and pattern of the=
eggs and similarities in calls. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">Most notably, the begging calls of j=
uvenal Regent Honeyeaters are almost inseparable from that of Red Wattlebir=
ds. In addition, some vocalisations of Regent Honeyeaters have previously b=
een interpreted as vocal mimicry of wattlebird calls. As Driskell & Chr=
istidis suggest, this may in fact simply reflect the shared phylogenetic hi=
story of the two genera.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">While this research has highlighted =
the relatedness of Regent Honeyeaters with the large wattlebird species it =
does not diminish the fact that Regent Honeyeaters are still very much enda=
ngered. If anything it throws up questions as to why the Regent Honeyeater =
has become so threatened while it's closest relative, the Red Wattlebird, c=
ontinues to do so well.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">Cheers</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D2 face=3D"sans-serif">David Geering<br>
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator<br>
Department of Environment & Conservation<br>
P.O. Box 2111<br>
Dubbo NSW 2830<br>
Ph: 02 6883 5335 or Freecall 1800 621 056<br>
Fax: 02 6884 9382<br>
<br>
</font><FONT SIZE=3D3><BR>
<BR>
This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain<BR>
confidential information. <BR>
<BR>
If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and then de=
lete the message. Views expressed in this message may be those of the indiv=
idual sender, and are not necessarily the views of the NSW Department of En=
vironment and Conservation.<BR>
</FONT>
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