My parents lost a budgie due to the Butcherbirds pecking at the
cage causing
The budgie to die from stress.
Terry B
Orange, NSW
-------Original Message-------
From: Peter Shute
Date: 05/14/07 10:08:19
To: Natalia Atkins;
Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Re: Grey Butcherbird killings in
Brisbane-Need
Advice please
A question for the list:
Can a Butcherbird really pull a budgie out through the bars of a
typical
Budgie cage? If so, I think I might consider draping a shroud of fine
Chicken wire over it before I hung it out, if it was my budgie.
Questions for Natalia:
Has this neighbour lived there for a long time? Was he there before
you
Moved in? If so, he may know that there were never this many
Butcherbirds around before, and be correct that it's you who has
Attracted unnatural numbers. It will be interesting to see what
happens
To the numbers if you stop or reduce the feeding. Perhaps even tell
him
You've done this - many people are overjoyed to have their concerns
Taken seriously, and good neighbours are a valuable thing.
I'm also intrigued at someone's suggestions that there should be no
Red
Wattlebirds there. When you've double checked what they are, please
let
Us all know your conclusions. Whether they are or aren't what you
Thought, we're interested! To help with identification, try
http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder .
You mention that "some prefer the smaller seed eating breeds of
birds",
Etc. I'm wondering if you own a pair of binoculars. Once you can see
The smaller birds more clearly you might be amazed, not only at how
many
Types there are around, but how many you just thought were sparrows,
Etc.
As for what happened to the two that disappeared, there are so many
Possibilities that one couldn't be sure he has anything to do with it.
After all, have you ever watched the rearing of a family of
Butcherbirds
From start to finish before? At some point the young ones will
have to
Disperse to their own territories, I would have thought. I don't know
At what age that would normally be, or whether they'd keep hanging
Around if they're being fed.
Peter Shute
wrote on Sunday, 13 May 2007 4:07
PM:
Thankyou so much for taking some time out to consider my
situation, all of you. Bless your hearts!!
Well I think I have learned my lesson. I most definitely
won't be taming any more wild birds at this particular
address. I can't protect the ones I love and I can't bear
their loss when they are killed. Talk about heartbreak!!! It
sincerely feels like two beloved pets have been slaughtered
and I miss them SO much. I am steeling myself as much as I
can for the potential slaughter of the remaining 3 birds, and
then whatever else that guy can catch.
Grey Butcherbirds are incredibly charming, intelligent,
charismatic little birds. I can understand that everyone has
their preferences, and some prefer the smaller seed eating
breeds of birds, or something more `pretty' like a parrot. I
can only say that I know these birds as individuals, and I
have grown to love them as individuals. It wasn't a choice I
made; they chose me and I have felt blessed to have them in my life.
Anyway, all your advice and the extra information you have
provided about the natural behaviour of these birds has
helped. It hasn't been easy to hear some of it, but
nonetheless I'm listening:)
PS. The main local birdlife here in east Brisbane consists of:
rainbow lorikeets (huge numbers),
Noisy minors (huge numbers)
Peaceful Doves (huge numbers)
Fig birds (huge numbers) ,
bluefaced honey eaters (small numbers) ,
red wattle birds (small numbers)
Swallows (medium numbers) ,
Tawny frogmouths (one family)
Australian crows (one family)
Magpies (one family),
Grey Butcherbirds (one family)
Collared sparrowhawk (one pair)
The `plagues' (if you want to call more than one family in area a
plague) are the noisy minors, doves, and rainbow lorikeets.
Thanks again:)
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