Andrew
I thought Pied Currawongs were hosts for CBCs and over the decades Pied
Currawongs have flourished around Sydney at the expense of smaller birds
such as wrens. So CBCs could be a good thing despite them sounding like
someone dry wretching at 4:30am. In relation to Brush Turkeys they
maybe re-establishing distribution but they are expanding territory. I
guess that originally they would have been in deep gullies or riversides
that had rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest - now they are on ridgetop
suburbs (such as where I live Cowan, just south of the Hawkesbury) due
to the food availability. Could their expansion/re-establishment be at
the cost of Superb Lyrebirds? I know what I would rather have in my
backyard!
Paul Burcher
Andrew Taylor wrote:
I'm not sure anyone posted a link to yesterday's Herald story:
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/first-it-was-the-march-of-the-cane-toad-x2026-now-the-brush-turkey-is-eating-sydney-20091101-hrku.html
The reporter unfortunately has jumbled some details - koels and
Channel-billed Cuckoos are unlikely to displace small birds.
By parasitizing wattlebirds & currawongs respectively they might
even assist smaller birds.
An alternative explanation for koels & CBCs increase in Sydney abundance
(mentioned in the above article) is diet, as other frugivores like
White-headed Pigeon & Figbird have also been expanding south. But maybe
it host availability. One koel host - Magpie-lark was formerly much
more abundant in Sydney - but Figbirds & wattlebirds are certainly more
abundant now. Not sure if CBCs have more hosts available now.
Andrew
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