Hello Chris and others,
I was lucky enough to be paid to study Star Finches (and Crimsons) back in
the late 1990's and followed them across the grasslands of Cape York and in
the eastern Kimberleys.
They are an amazing experience in a large flock aren't they? In the
non-breeding season (dry season) in particular they amass into large flocks
that tend to remain within flying distance of water. The biggest numbers by
far that I saw were on the irrigated agricultural areas north of Kununurra
where they had strips and patches of native veg and weeds (good for
feeding) permanent water and sugarcane for roosting. The actual numbers I
can't remember but I think I estimated thousands. However, I found few
nests here, most of the nests I found in a patch of remnant vegetation in a
large loose colony. I noticed recently on Google Earth that this place is
now cleared.
As many of you will know, the eastern subspecies of star is possibly
extinct. I've seen museum specimens of this form and to me they look
distinctly different to the Cape York subsp and the northern Aust subsp.
Cheers,
Mick Todd
--
Michael Todd
Molesworth, Tasmania
(soon to be Mildura, Vic)
http://wildlifing.smugmug.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-todd/2b/425/605
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