It makes one wonder how many vagrants turn up in this vast country expecting
fame and fortune and never manage to get twitched as they land somewhere too
obscure?
On 03/07/06, Philip Veerman <> wrote:
Thanks, it is about time someone asked these questions.
We have had it called "Grey headed lapwing", "Grey headed Lapwing", "grey
headed lapwing" and even "Grey Headed Lapwing" on this line. Poor bird must
be terribly confused. The protocol of bird names is pretty simple.
Thankfully some correspondents have got it right. The name is "Grey-headed
Lapwing". I also assume it is Vanellus cinereus. Has anyone mentioned that?
According to a shorebirds book (Hayman, Marchant & Prater), it normally
lives in Asia and migration includes "south to Andaman Is., Malaysia,
Philippines, Borneo and Sulawesi".
I think it has been mentioned to be the first record of the species for
Australia. No doubt others will have more information.
As to how it got there, I have no idea, maybe it was caught in Asia and
smuggled in by someone from the Burren Junction tourism authority. It is
indeed strange that it should be found there, within inland SE Australia,
rather than somewhere like Christmas Island or the northern tips of the
continent. I wish I could afford to travel there. Is the bird especially
exciting? I had not heard of the species before this one was mentioned on
this line, so I'm not actually bursting to go see it. As I have said before,
I'd rather see a Secretary-bird in Africa than on the streets of Canberra.
Philip
|
