G'day Sonja and Anthea
Thanks for your replies.
I'm aware of the Gastrolobium poison bush in WA. Anthea has turned up
this reference
http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=MU942057.pdf
which is good evidence that the pigeons accumulate poison from the
seeds of Gastrolobium bilobum in Western Australia.
Further questions:
Has anyone ever extracted poison from a Bronzewing and analysed it?
What is the situation in other parts of the Bronzewings' range?
Why are Pitohuis claimed to be the first known poisonous birds? This
article mentions others (including Bronzewings):
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2001/2/intoxnewguineabirds.cfm
It seems that others were known or suspected earlier but the chemical
in Pitohui poison was the first to be identified.
There appears to be no conclusive evidence that Flame Robins migrate
across Bass Strait unless Anthea can track down the unpublished
research of Balmford and Dennett. I wouldn't be at all suprised if
they do cross the Strait but it would be nice to have evidence.
Cheers
Steve
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
|
