It is interesting to consider the adaptation of Australian bird species
to the urban environment. Nowdays there are many species resident in
our suburbs and the edges of the CBDs, but most are dependent on
habitat anchors. The crakes, rails and bitterns seen around Brisbane,
for example, are [just about] always in the vicinity of water and
lurking points. Similarly, the waterfowl rarely venture beyond a
threshold distance from a water body. Turkeys, thickknees, koels,
coucals can be found in parks on the edge of the CBD, but not inside
the concrete zone. Even the crows seem to be thin on the ground in the
heart of town.
The two Australian species that seem to have adapted to life in the
Brisbane CBD are the white ibis [garbage birds that beat up the pigeons
and sparrows] and the peregrine falcons. The ibis patrol the CBD parks
and have mastered the art of drinking from fountains. The peregrines
patrol the skies and live on the pigeons. I found it interesting to
watch the web cam footage - particularly the videos of the falcons
nesting on the Admiralty Towers. These are raptors that have fully
adapted to living in a totally artificial environment - they can live
their entire lifecycle without leaving the CBD. I can't think of any
other raptors similarly at home in the concrete zone - the black
shouldered kites, pacific bazas, brown goshawks, wedgetail eagles,
boobook owls and brahminy kites etc that I have seen around Brisbane
have all been in the vicinity of rivers and woodlands.
Are peregrines especially suited to life in the concrete jungle because
they are adapted to hunting pigeons and are comfortable nesting on high
rise buildings? According to the item in the Courier Mail -
http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/
0,5936,10825399%255E3102,00.html - there are two pairs of peregrines
raising chicks in the Brisbane CBD. Given that the respective
buildings are only a couple of hundred metres apart, would there be
scope for a third pair to establish in the CBD? The supply of pigeons
would certainly be high enough ...
Regards, Laurie.
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