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G'day Greg and Nature Lovers
Greg, I'm pretty sure that you're not a member of
that august body; the Victorian Acclimatisation Society, so I'll write openly
;o).
It took three attempts to get the Rabbit
successfully introduced to Australia. I've had several sightings of the
Red-whiskered Bulbul in the Royal National Park, on the southern outskirts
of Sydney and this species resides in large numbers in remnant
bushland on the shores of Botany Bay. It is quite well established
in gardens of the Sydney region generally.
Like all birds, the Red-whiskered Bulbul is
feeding and nesting so it is competing and having an environmental impact.
Unless there is some very unique form of resource partitioning taking place, for
every bulbul you see, it is very likely that you are not seeing a
native species.
I doubt that there is anyone on this list, myself
included, who would argue that the Red-whiskered Bulbul is not a very
attractive species with a delightful song (it's rid-ic-ulous) and engaging
behaviour. I'll come out of the closet now and state that I actually think
the same for the most excellent Indian Mynah and gorgeous little House
Sparrow. However, introduced plants and animals are strangling
the native flora and fauna of this country. Much as it saddens me to
promote the idea of killing any creature, I believe that we have a
responsibility to rid our shores of bulbuls (and Indian Mynahs), like any other
feral species, and no reasonable argument to the contrary can be
sustained.
Having stated all that and given that I never
make a report on this list of feral sightings, I appologise for attempting
to impose my standard of reporting on daily observations upon
you.
Ricki
Broome Bird Observatory WA
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