I disagree, Russ. Introduced or not, they are now a part of the ecological and
ornithological landscape of this country, as are Common Starlings, European
Goldfinches, European Goldfinch, and everyone's favourite, Common Myna. Changes
to populations of these species may be indicators of change that will affect
broader groups of species, so are worthy of note and, sometimes, of further
research.
Further, House and Tree Sparrows are in significant decline in the UK and
Europe - I've heard estimates of up to 90% reduction in population. Indeed, I
usually struggle to see House Sparrows in the south-east of England when I'm
there for business (in my last trip, I saw just one bird in Sandwich). Strange
that it may seem, it is possible that in the future Australia may be a
stronghold for both these species.
Paul
Sent from my iPad
> On 29 Dec 2013, at 7:27 pm, Russell Woodford <> wrote:
>
> I suppose we should celebrate when an introduced species disappears (I'm
> not suggesting that Tree Sparrows are declining significantly), but it is
> important to try to gather as much information as possible about what may
> lead to this happening. If Tree Sparrow disappeared, what could be the
> underlying causes, and what does that tell us for native species?
>
> Song Thrush is one introduced species that seems to have dropped in numbers
> - as it has in Britain. Is this (in SE Australia) because of loss of
> suitable urban habitat - fewer large leafy gardens with dense cover? Or is
> it more to do with predators like foxes and cats? It used to be easy to
> find Song Thrush in places like Newtown hill in Geelong, where most of the
> houses had enormous, lush gardens. Many of these have now been replaced by
> townhouses with almost no gardens. Is this the sort of thing that
> contributes pressure on thrushes, and why does Song Thrush appear to have
> declined, while Blackbird thrives? What's happened in the leafy suburbs of
> Melbourne?
>
> Russell Woodford
> Ocean Grove
>
>
> On 29 December 2013 18:50, David Richardson <>wrote:
>
>> There are healthy populations of Tree Sparrows in Kensington,Hoppers
>> Crossing (where I regularly see them at the bus stop near the train
>> station, and also around my sisters garden in Hop.Cross.) and in Altona
>> where I live,close to Truganina Swamp.I have Tree Sparrows visiting the
>> birdbath on my balcony here,and had them this sfternoon.So there are
>> pockets of them about.
>>
>> David Richardson.
>>
>>
>>> On Sun, Dec 29, 2013 at 6:16 PM, John Tongue <> wrote:
>>>
>>> Thanks Paul, but we're not arriving till Jan 24. Doing my Nephew's
>>> wedding on Jan 26, and a few days birding either side. Hoping for Sooty
>>> Owl, with Tim Bawden, and now, maybe, Long-toed Stint at Werribee??
>>>
>>> John T.
>>>
>>>
>>>> On 29/12/2013, at 6:12 PM, John Tongue <> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Just realised, it WAS over twelve months ago we had them there!
>>>>
>>>> John Tongue
>>>> Ulverstone, Tas.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 29/12/2013, at 6:08 PM, Paul Dodd <> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> They're getting much harder to find there, John.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 29 Dec 2013, at 5:48 pm, John Tongue <> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And at the 'Enviro-park' in Brunswick.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>> John Tongue
>>>>>> Ulverstone, Tas.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 29/12/2013, at 5:36 PM, wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Not sure if this sighting is a 'sought-after' one, but it seems
>> there
>>> is a resident population of Eurasian Tree Sparrow in and around the
>> general
>>> store in Anakie on edge of Brisbane Ranges NP, VIC: sighted Sunday
>>> afternoon.
>>>>>>> Wendy McWilliams
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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