On Tue, Sep 02, 2008 at 05:53:44PM +1000, Dave Torr wrote:
> It is funny how we accept a foreign Lapwing in NSW as being an obvious
> vagrant and rush to tick it, whereas any finch or parrot that is even
> slightly out of range tends to be dismissed as an escapee!
The medical saying is "when you hear hoofbeats think horses, not zebras".
A Cockatiel in my local park is only slightly out of range, the Atlas
has them breeding within 200km of Sydney's centre and there are records
likely to be wild birds much closer. The habitat is also somewhat
conducive at least judging by the success of inland additions to my
local avifauna such as White-plumed Honeyeaters and Crested Pigeons.
But aviary escape is a more likely explanation - my evidence for this
includes sightings of non-wild-type-plumaged Cockatiels and plantive
"lost Cockatiel" signs sticky-taped to power poles.
A Grey-headed Lapwing reaching Burren Junction is much less likely than
a wild Cockatiel reaching inner Sydney, but even if GHL vagrancy is
improbable, its far more likely than any competing explanation.
Which doesn't help with Painted Finches near Jerilderie you can
(obviously) argue about the likelihood of the competing explanations.
Andrew
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