WPAA Bird Blog

Small Birds 10/8/11

2011-08-09T13:03:00.001-07:00

Small Birds

Australia’s small birds need our help. The Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife want you to know that you can help small birds to breed and flourish in Narromine. All you have to do is plant the right plants on National Tree Day on Sunday. "This National Tree Day we’re urging people to provide a haven for small birds by planting shrubs, Ms Suzanne Medway, President of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia said. "Small birds need dense foliage to hide amongst to stay safe from cats, dogs and larger, more aggressive birds. If the right conditions are provided, small birds like Willie wagtails, fairy wrens and yellow robins will come to visit. According to Ms Medway small birds are lovely to watch and wonderful to have around the garden as they keep insects in check. "Many homeowners and councils have planted trees such as bottlebrush and melaleucas in recent years. Rainbow lorikeets, noisy miners and wattlebirds have all flourished in response to these tree plantings, Ms Medway said. "Now it’s time to do our bit to help the small birds.

You too can enjoy wonderful wrens, fancy finches and ravishing robins flittering and fluttering in your backyard. How to attract small birds to your garden: Ask your local nursery for advice on locally native shrubs. Plant shrubs that will grow into dense foliage and give small birds somewhere to hide. Plant shrubs close together in clumps. Provide some water in your garden for birds to drink and bathe in. Invite your neighbours or friends to get involved in shrub planting, and make it a community effort. The more habitat there is around your area for small birds, the more of them you’ll see. Good shrubs for small birds include grevilleas, such as grevillea rosemarinafolia, and hakeas. Prune your shrubs to form dense hedges as small birds love to dart in and out of them. The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife also supports the planting of shrubs for the benefit of small birds and runs a program called Backyard Buddies. *Narramine News

For more info about making your backyard wildlife friendly visit .. http://www.australian-backyard-wildlife.com

Lyrebirds 10/8/11

2011-08-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

Lyrebirds

After a twenty year absence in Willoughby’s (NSW) bushland, lyrebirds are now returning to the area with two sightings reported in Castlecrag and Bicentennial Reserve. One of Australia's best-known native birds, lyrebirds have an extraordinary mimicking ability and males are recognised for their striking long tail feathers. As a result of Willoughby City Council’s designated Wildlife Protection Areas and the successful fox and feral cat control program, Willoughby has seen an increase of wildlife recently, with echidnas, bandicoots, brush-turkeys and wallabies returning to the local bushland to nest and forage. Find out more about lyrebirds and other local wildlife at the Willoughby Fauna Fair on the 21 August at Willoughby Park. Birds Australia, the National Parks Association and council will provide helpful tips on protecting and improving wildlife habitats and there will also be free dog obedience and trick training. Have you spotted a lyrebird in your area? Contact Willoughby City Council on 9777 1000 or email@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

Birds Blog 10/8/11

2011-08-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

Parrot Tourism

Australia should forget beaches and bikini-clad models as tourist drawcards, and promote the country as a land of parrots to rival the Amazon, a leading tourism expert says. Griffith University eco-tourism research centre director Professor Ralf Buckley said Australia was "clueless" about promoting its wildlife to a profitable overseas market for environmental tourism. Global tourism trends show bird watchers are among the worlds highest spending tourists, paying upwards of $10,000 for off-the-track tours led by experts. Professor Buckley said Australia was much safer than some politically volatile and remote South American parrot-watching spots. "We are truly clueless in marketing our wildlife. We should promote our large, brightly coloured birds. Overseas visitors are blown away by the brilliant colours of our parrots," he said. And two of the worlds leading experts on parrots and cockatoos, Canberra residents Joe Forshaw and Denis Saunders, say the ACT should market its birdlife as a major tourist attraction.

Mr Forshaw, the former head of wildlife conservation for the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, is the author of 17 ornithology books including a guide to the worlds parrots. "I've taken parrot tours around the world, and they're a huge attraction. In Peru and Costa Rica, there are entire communities built around parrot tourism," he said. In Canberra, Mr Forshaw has hosted visitors from Europe and the United States who were enthralled by gang-gangs, crimson rosellas, king parrots and flocks of galahs. "We take galahs for granted, but to overseas visitors their colours are remarkable." Dr Saunders, a former CSIRO chief research scientist who identified two new species of West Australian cockatoos, has taken visitors to local parks to see yellow-tailed black cockatoos, eastern rosellas and gang-gangs. More than a dozen parrot species are found in Canberra, and many are on "the life lists", or wish lists, of overseas bird watchers, he said. Mr Forshaw said early maps used by spice traders to the Dutch East Indies showed a southern land mass known as Terra Psittacorum, the Land of Parrots. "Many of the ships brought parrots to take back to Europe, and were told by local merchants of a southern land that was full of parrots. That was Australia." * Canberra Times

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Bird Tourism

Bird watchers have been flocking to Minnippi Wetlands at Carina on Brisbane's eastside to see a white-fronted honeyeater, one of the rarest birds seen on the coastal strip. The honeyeater boasts what is described as a "moustache" and is more commonly found in far western NSW, Victoria and sometimes Queensland's distant interior. Birds Queensland spokesman Mike West said yesterday that dozens of bird watchers had gone to the wetlands to try and catch a glimpse of the rare visitor. "You have to shoulder your way in to get a look at it but it hasn't been seen lately so it may have moved somewhere else," Mr West said. "Normally you have to go well out west to see them. It's hard to fathom out why this one was drawn to the coast. "They've not been seen in Brisbane before, that I know of." It's the second rare species to be seen in the southeast during the past two months, with a New Zealand South Island pied oystercatcher in residence at Point Halloran in Redlands, east of Brisbane. "It took me ages to find him," Mr West said. "He's with a flock of about 50 pied oystercatchers. "He's nearly all white under his wings, whereas the other oyster-catchers are black and white. "But he has shorter legs than the locals and if he sits down, you lose him in the crowd."

Bird watchers, or twitchers, aim to see as many birds as possible, although at this time of the year they are more likely to be enjoying the wetland antics of common Australian coots, which are currently in their winter-spring mating period. They are black with red eyes, white beaks and have Frankenstein-looking feet. Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife chief executive Susanna Bradshaw said coots were highly territorial during winter and spring. "They swim menacingly towards any intruders and can fight like champion boxers," she said. "Coots are fascinating to watch, particularly when they run along the surface of the water as they take off. Mating displays are also impressive." Ms Bradshaw said many water birds and marine animals were feeling the pressure as rubbish, chemicals, garden rubbish and run-off entered waterways. Residents could help keep waterways clean by picking up litter, binning cigarette butts, not pouring chemical or household waste into drains and washing cars on grass so cleaners did not run into drains. *Courier Mail

New Appeal for Animal Flood Victims!

2011-01-19T23:05:00.000-08:00

Sydney Pet Rescue & Adoption, has launched the Australian Animal Flood Victims Emergency Appeal, and together with various other rescue groups, they are working hard to raise funds to support animals affected by the recent devastating floods in Qld. The Wildlife Protection Association of Australia is one of the organisations they have chosen to support with the Appeal. We will be using the funds they raise to support foster carers in the worst affected and priority areas, with financial support to assist with the rescue and foster care of wildlife. ……….We thank SPRA and all the rescue groups who are working hard with them, for their support…..

Please click on this link to find out more about the appeal: SPRA Flood Animal Appeal Here!

Birds Dying 19/1/11

2011-01-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of this month when about 5,000 red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in one night in Arkansas, biologists were called on to put a damper on public speculation about pesticides and secret military tests by reminding everyone how many birds there are and how many die. They often do so as a result of human activity, but in far more mundane and dispiriting ways than conspiracy buffs might imagine.

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Get Science News From The New York Times » “Five billion birds die in the U.S. every year,” said Melanie Driscoll, a biologist and director of bird conservation for the Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi Flyway for the National Audubon Society.

That means that on average, 13.7 million birds die in this country every day. This number, while large, needs to be put into context. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that a minimum of 10 billion birds breed in the United States every year and that as many as 20 billion may be in the country during the fall migratory season.

Even without humans, tens of millions of birds would be lost each year to natural predators and natural accidents — millions of fledglings die during their first attempts at flight. But according to the Fish and Wildlife Service, people have severely complicated the task of survival. Although mortality rates are difficult to calculate for certain, using modeling and other methods like extrapolation from local research findings, the government has come up with estimates of how many birds die from various causes in the United States.

Some of the biggest death traps are surprising. Almost everyone has an experience with a pet proudly bringing home a songbird in its jaws. Nationally, domestic and feral cats kill hundreds of millions of birds each year, according to the government. One study done in Wisconsin found that domestic rural cats alone (thus excluding a large number of suburban and urban cats) killed roughly 39 million birds a year.

Pesticides kill 72 million birds directly, but an unknown and probably larger number ingest the poisons and die later unseen. Orphaned chicks also go uncounted.

And then there is flying into objects, which is most likely what killed the birds in Arkansas. The government estimates that strikes against building windows alone account for anywhere from 97 million to nearly 976 million bird deaths a year. Cars kill another 60 million or so. High-tension transmission and power distribution lines are also deadly obstacles. Extrapolating from European studies, the Fish and Wildlife Service estimates 174 million birds die each year by flying into these wires. None of these numbers take into account the largest killer of birds in America: loss of habitat to development.

All of this explains why about a quarter of the 836 species of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are in serious decline. For a third of the other birds there is not enough information to be sure about the health of their populations.

Of course, poisons and electric wires are not as exciting to think about as secret government plots, but Ms. Driscoll says it is time we pay attention to them anyway.

“It is the story that the press and the public have largely missed, and it is important, and timely, given the current concern,” she said. “And it is what gets those of us who work in bird conservation motivated every day to try to deal with human-induced changes to our habitats, our landscape and our very climate.”

A version of this article appeared in print on January 18, 2011, on page D4 of the New York edition.

Meanwhile, Dead Birds and Fish

In the last 2 months, 22 instances of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of dead birds and fish have been recorded worldwide. There have been many speculations about the cause of death, and autopsies apppear to have found nothing untoward. Some local wildlife carers are telling us they are getting more birds into care than ever before.....
Read more http://www.naturalnews.com/030985_mysterious_deaths_birds.html
and here http://www.naturalnews.com/030996_bird_deaths_pole_shift.html

New Parrot Species 7/12/10

2010-12-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

New Parrot Species

DNA experts from Australia have discovered that dwindling populations of ground parrots in Western Australia belong to a different species than those found in the rest of the country, a find with important conservation implications. A team of researchers from the University of Adelaide and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy used DNA from 160-year-old museum specimens to learn of distinct differences between the ground parrots in the east and west and that the western populations should be recognized as a new species. It has been named Pezoporus flaviventris. The DNA study suggests the two species diverged from each other some 2 million years ago. "Our findings demonstrate that museum collections, some going back more than 150 years, continue to be relevant and can provide critical information for understanding and conserving the world's biodiversity into the future," said team member Jeremy Austin, of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide.

While excited about the discovery, researchers were also concerned for the survival of these newly classified birds."The discovery has major conservation implications," said team member Stephen Murphy of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. "The western ground parrot has declined rapidly in the last 20 years; there are now only about 110 birds surviving in the wild, and most of these are confined to a single national park. It is now one of the world's rarest birds." *Our Amazing Planet

Birds Fight Back 7/12/10

2010-12-06T20:23:00.000-08:00

Birds Fight Back

A decade-long survey has found key species of birds that were in trouble because of land clearing and grazing are on the way back. For the past decade, David Lindenmayer and a team of scientists from the Australian National University have been keeping a close watch on woodland birds, studying 300 sites across 150 farms over a 10-year period. Over that time, many species that were considered to be in trouble have reappeared, including the speckled warbler, the diamond firetail and the rufous whistler. "In some cases we've seen the reporting rate, which is the number of times we record the birds on our sites, double, triple, even quadruple on some of these farms where there's been these kinds of interventions," Professor Lindenmayer said while visiting a property near Boorowa in southern New South Wales. "The fantastic thing is it is telling us now about the kinds of things that we might need to alter slightly on farms to actually have really good environmental outcomes." And it is not just birds that are reappearing. Reptiles are also being monitored and are also making a comeback.

"It's been a really buoyant year as far as the rainfall and things have been going on," scientist Geoffrey Kay said. "So we're picking up blind snakes and pink-tailed worm lizards. These are species that very rarely come up. They're subterranean and the moisture is really pulling them to the surface." The key to this biodiversity comeback is the landholder. Graziers and farmers are helping regenerate the land, replant the vegetation and grasslands, and over 10 years that has paid off. Grazier Neil Stuart signed up to the Federal Government's Environmental Stewardship Program and he is now taking great pleasure in watching the dramatic turnaround. "It gets you more involved because the more they find the more excited they get about the birds, reptiles, grasses and whatever," he said. "You go to some of these sites and you see these incredible wildflowers, that are endangered, growing. "I reckon it's great, and I just like talking to other people who are involved with this and they get a bit excited, because it's the first time they're seeing something happening." *ABC

Rare Albino Kookaburras 7/12/10

2010-12-06T20:22:00.001-08:00

Albino Kookaburras

ITt's a rare double act - two blue-winged albino baby kookaburras have shown up at a wildlife sanctuary at Ravenshoe in far north Queensland. Eagles Nest Wildlife Hospital founder Harry Kunz, who is caring for the pair, believes they are the only ones in captivity in Australia. "No one I have spoken to has ever heard of, or seen albino blue wing kookaburras before. There are a few albino laughing kookaburras around but not the blue-winged variety – so these guys are extremely rare." Mr Kunz said albino birds rarely live long in the wild because they have no camouflage and are an easy target. *Cairns Post

Birds

Flooding in the New South Wales central west has led to the Macquarie Marshes experiencing their best conditions in 10 years. The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water says around 50,000 hectares of land in the marshes are currently flooded and if the wet weather continues the floodwaters could surpass the record of 150,000 hectares set 11 years ago. The Conservation Officer, Debbie Love, says more than 35,000 waterbirds including ibis, egrets and cormorants are breeding and are expected to remain in the wetlands until next April. But she says the current flooding is not enough to repair years of damage from the drought. "There's been a lot of changes over the last 20 to 30 years and loss of wetland vegetation," she said.

"We're starting to see some re-establishment in areas that have been degraded, the marsh is capable of recovery, it's just whether the seasons and our capacity to deliver water will be sufficient to really return the marshes to a more resilient state." She says the rain needs to continue in the long term. "The amount of water that we have been able to deliver to the marsh either through environmental flows or through the rainfall that brought tributary flows into the system has meant that the wettest areas of the marsh are looking quite healthy and it's those areas on the margins, the next zone out, that we're really starting to see some changes in now with the bigger (flood) events that are lasting longer." *ABC

Asian Crow Sighted 7/12/10

2010-12-06T20:21:00.001-08:00

Asian Crow Sighted

An Asian bird capable of killing calves and kid goats is on the loose in North Queensland after reaching Australia by boat. Biosecurity Queensland has enlisted the help of birdwatchers to find an Indian house crow, seen in Innisfail almost eight weeks ago. Birds Australia North Queensland secretary Ivor Preston said he spotted the pest being hassled by native species at Flying Fish Point on October 11th. Mr Preston, who has seen house crows in their native Malaysia and Vietnam, said he knew the bird was not local, but was shocked once he realised its identity.

A Biosecurity Queensland spokeswoman said the crow, which hails from central Asia, is considered a "major pest". It is working with local authorities and birdwatchers to find the pest which, if not caught, could have a devastating effect on the state's agriculture. "The pest is known to raid crops such as wheat, maize and sunflower as well as causing severe damage to vegetables and fruit crops including mango, guava, pawpaw, fig, apple, pear, grape and stone fruit," she said. A national animal pest alert says the house crow can kill animals. "The house crow will attack and kill poultry, new-born calves and kid goats," the alert reads.*

Penguins 7/12/10

2010-12-06T20:19:00.001-08:00

Penguins

Seven little penguins from the endangered colony at Manly have been found dead and a dog attack has been blamed for at least some of the massacre. The penguins - three breeding pairs and a chick - were found dead on the Harbour shoreline at Federation Point near Oceanworld. Three penguins were found dead on Friday, one on Saturday and another three on Sunday. Preliminary results from a post mortem examination at Taronga Zoo of three of the birds discovered on Friday found they had apparently been killed by a dog. Dogs had been banned from the foreshore at Federation Point to try to protect the penguins which dig their nests there, separate from other breeding areas at Manly. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has appealed for witnesses who may have been in the area last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Manly's little penguins are the last mainland breeding colony in New South Wales.

Birds Poisoned....Collateral Damage Okayed

2010-08-31T11:59:00.001-07:00

It has been revealed about 300 native birds were poisoned during a pest eradication program on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. Parks and Wildlife Officers travelled to the island in May for a three-month baiting program to eradicate rabbits, rats and mice. However, poor weather conditions hampered baiting efforts and the team had to leave early. The project manager Keith Springer says about eight per cent of the planned baits were laid. He says while it made a dent in rodent numbers, some native bird species were affected. "The main ones were kelp gulls but we did expect that they would take some bait," he said. "We expected a small number of ducks to take bait, and while a small number did, it was less than we expected. Mr Springer says officers will return to the island to complete the program in April. *ABC

Seagulls Killed in Tasmania 1/9/10

2010-08-31T11:58:00.001-07:00

Tasmanian Seagulls Killed

Seagulls living in a large colony at the Domain slipyards are about to get their marching orders from Tasports, as animal activists express anger over culling that has already taken place at Macquarie Point.
Tasports says the growing number of gulls near its operations at Macquarie Wharf is posing health, safety and environmental threats to Tasports employees. At the Domain slipyards, there were anecdotal reports of gulls attacking bike riders on the nearby intercity cycleway. Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania has accused Tasports of engaging in a "top-secret seagull massacre" at Macquarie Point. AACT spokesman Chris Simcox said he believed birds had been poisoned and shot during the cull. "There were reports of dead birds floating in the harbour last weekend, following a suspected poisoning event," Mr Simcox said. "While we are told that seagulls are being targeted, it is clear that they are not the only ones being killed."

A Tasports spokeswoman confirmed that 13 seagulls were killed at Macquarie Point by a licensed pest controller, who shot the birds at night using a silenced rifle. No poison was used and the seagull relocation and cull was not kept secret, with the public alerted via Tasports' electronic noticeboard at the wharf, the spokeswoman said. The relocation of the Domain slipyards' gull colony is set to begin early this week. A licensed pest controller will try to move the birds by using nets initially. The relocation will take place under a permit issued to Tasports by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. A department spokesman said the permit allowed for the controlled culling of seagulls during a six-month period across all ports under Tasports' jurisdiction in Tasmania. It allows for measures including the removal and disposal of eggs, trapping with nets, and shooting. Poison can be used only allowed where it poses no threat to humans and wildlife other than gulls. Tasports manager of safety, health and environment John Johnston said the birds could also carry disease in their faeces, which presented a health risk to humans. *Mercury

Bird News 10/810

2010-08-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

Cockatoos

Urgent action needs to be taken to address problem cockatoos keeping hospital patients awake and annoying people at Atherton. Flocks of sulphur-crested cockatoos, numbering in the thousands, have been causing havoc along Cook St. Tablelands Regional Council has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency to use a scare gun to disperse the birds, but Cr Len Curtis said the process had to move faster. *Cairns Post

Banded Plovers

There are fears a critical breeding ground for a vulnerable bird species found only in Australia could be threatened if open-slather mining is allowed on Lake Torrens. In the past 70 years there have been only 10 recorded breeding events of the wading bird the banded stilt - the latest two months ago when an estimated 150,000 birds descended on the lake in SA's Far North. But there are now concerns that this already threatened bird could have its important habitat put at risk if plans to plunder minerals from the lake's bed get into full gear.

The State Government last month approved a mining exploration licence for Straits Resources and Argonaut Resources to drill on the lake bed for minerals including copper and gold. Australasian Waders Studies Group spokesman Clive Minton said mining on the lake bed would be "criminal" as the banded stilt only breeds in salt lakes which have been inundated with fresh water causing dormant brine shrimp eggs to hatch, providing a feeding bonanza for the young. The Aboriginal Kokatha Mula Nations Land Council chairman Andrew Starkey said his people had a number of sites registered in the area that would be threatened by the mining. "Our concern is the precedent this will set for the rest of the lakes," he said. * Adelaide Now

Bird Diets

Some birds radically change their diets just before their winter migrations, gorging themselves on antioxidant-rich berries to prepare for their long journeys, researchers have found. "[The] results support the hypothesis that some migratory birds may actively select deeply-pigmented fruits as a signal for meals that are rich in antioxidants," researcher Navindra Seeram of the University of Rhode Island said. "These disease-fighting antioxidants may help the birds combat stress and inflammation that they experience during long flights." "It has been known for some time, this phenomenon of birds switching to fruits in the fall," said study co-author Scott McWilliams, a bird researcher. The phenomenon is particularly striking because sparrows, thrushes, warblers and other birds with beaks highly specialized for eating insects suddenly begin using them to pick berries instead. A single bird can consume up to three times its weight in berries per day -- the equivalent of a human being consuming more than 300 pounds-worth of food. *NaturalNews Read more http://www.naturalnews.com/029391_birds_superfoods.html

Albatrosses 4/3/10

2010-03-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

Albatross A growing number of the majestic and endangered wandering albatross are being horrifically injured or killed by discarded fishing hooks. Tasmanian wildlife officers this week released the second albatross in as many weeks to have been injured by a hook. The latest victim was successfully released near Eaglehawk Neck after being found in the same area on February 21 by a bird-watching group. Wildlife biologist Rachael Alderman said it was another reminder for fishermen to be aware of ways to minimise the threat to the endangered seabird.

"This wandering albatross was actually lucky as many birds which are hooked in fishery operations simply drown," Ms Alderman said. She said that even if the seabirds did survive the initial hooking incident, they often died later of infection. Ms Alderman said the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment was contacted after the bird watchers captured the wandering albatross and she was able to work with a local vet to remove the seven-centimetre hook. Late last year a Tasmanian shy albatross was found with a fishing hook embedded in its bill and was successfully rescued off the North-West Coast. Ms Alderman said assessment of the hook in the latest incident indicated it was of the type used in commercial tuna fishing operations. The wandering albatross is found right across the Southern Ocean, including Antarctic, sub-Antarctic and sub-tropical waters. Young birds often remain at sea for five to 10 years before returning to the islands where they were born to breed. Fishery interactions have been identified as one of the threats to their survival. Since 1994 the species of albatross listed as threatened has increased from seven to 18 of the 22 species. Globally it is estimated interactions with long-line fisheries kill about 100,000 albatrosses each year. *Mercury

Meanshile an Australian wildlife foundation has some helpful hints to keep the ``clowns of the bird world'' content. Australia's Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife chief executive Leonie Gale said many young rainbow lorikeets were learning to fly in the area and the colourful birds could be amusing when they fed or took a bath. She suggested residents could grow native plants such as banksias, grevilleas and bottlebrushes to attract the birds. To learn more about growing native plants for wildlife go to http://www.australian-backyard-wildlife.com

Finches Found A birdwatcher credited with rediscovering an endangered finch species in north-west Queensland says he is not sure if the birds are recovering. Birds Australia northern secretary Ivor Preston found about 60 gouldian finches on a property north-west of Mount Isa, the first time they have been seen in almost 15 years. Habitat changes have been blamed for the disappearance of the colourful finches across many inland parts of the far north. Mr Preston says its possible there are other groups of the finches in isolated areas. "The particular property was not over-grazed there was a good range of waterholes, there was a good range of suitable trees for nesting and a good range of grass for them to feed off, so if that situation continues there is no reason to think birds couldn't continue to expand," he said. Still common in the Northern Territory and Western Australian Kimberley, the finches have disappeared across much of the inland north Queensland range. Mr Preston says healthy populations could still be found in isolated areas. "There have been plenty of cases in the past where people have thought birds are extinct and they've turned up, so it could well be but they've just been in much smaller numbers and simply haven't been seen ... the ratio of hectares to birdwatchers is pretty high," he said. *ABC

duck and Geese shooting, 5/1/10

2010-01-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

Magpie Geese Hunting

The shooting season for NT ducks and geese ended on the 31st December. More than 30,000 magpie geese and about 2000 ducks are believed to have been shot by 1850 hunters during the four-month season. There about two million geese in the NT, the Government claims. The Natural Resources Department said hunters now had to lodge their permit returns on how many birds were shot. The Government claims a "sustainable harvest" limit was between 10 and 14 per cent of the goose population.

Meanwhile the Victorian governemtn has declared duck shooting season from March 20 to May 30, two weeks shorter than normal. Australian wildlife groups have condemned the decision, and protests are likely. *WPAA

More Australian wildlife to be shot! 30/12/09

2009-12-30T15:09:00.000-08:00

Victoria's duck hunting season will be cut by two weeks again in 2010 but hunters will be able to increase their hauls by three to five ducks per bag. Acting Minister for Environment and Climate Change Tim Holding said the compromise struck a balance between ensuring sustainable duck numbers and the interests of hunters. The season, which allows hunters to legally shoot native birds, Australian wildlife, will run from March 20 to May 30. Mr Holding says population data collected across eastern Australia indicated duck numbers had increased since the last duck season. "On balance the Government is convinced that hunting will not adversely affect populations of ducks at the levels allowed for the 2010 season," he said.

But the COALITION AGAINST DUCK SHOOTING have accused Premier John Brumby of being just another climate change sceptic and slammed the Victorian Brumby Government for selling out Australia’s native waterbirds by calling a recreational duck shooting season for political reasons. The Coalition Against Duck Shooting’s Campaign Director, Laurie Levy, today said: "The Brumby Government’s decision to allow a duck shooting season in 2010 is totally irresponsible and a betrayal of the 87% of Victorians who want the recreational shooting of native waterbirds banned.

"At a time when Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been in Copenhagen seeking an agreement on serious climate change issues, Premier Brumby seems oblivious to the potential crisis and has irresponsibly called another duck shooting season when Australian wildlife, our native waterbirds are under extreme stress." "With wetlands drying and waterbird numbers down by 82% since 1983, Premier Brumby is acting like a climate change sceptic who lacks the vision to understand the serious plight native waterbirds face," said Levy.

"It is difficult to understand how a modern Victorian Labor Government in the 21st century can still have the same destructive policies towards Australia’s native waterbirds as the Bolte Liberal Government of the 1950s and 60s. Times have changed, with the recreational shooting of native waterbirds banned by three State Labor Premiers in WA, NSW and Queensland," Levy said. "As the Brumby Government has again made a political decision to look after their duck shooting mates, the Coalition Against Duck Shooting fully supports Ted Baillieu’s call for an independent Crime Commission to be established in Victoria.

"Calling another season simply for political reasons to accommodate a small number of duck shooters is corruption and must be investigated by a Crime Commission. It defies all the scientific evidence that indicates waterbird numbers have seriously declined, and the fact that most Victorians want native waterbirds protected (87% according to a recent Morgan Research Poll). "Once again the Coalition Against Duck Shooting’s rescue team will return to the wetlands to protect Australia’s native waterbirds from recreational shooters," Levy concluded.

Raptors 18/12/09

2009-12-17T11:41:00.001-08:00

Pride of Australia winner Craig Webb, of Kettering, is quite rightly known as Tasmania's ``eagle man''. He has saved the lives of countless birds by caring for them on his 9ha property, and was last month acknowledged when he won the National Pride of Australia environment medal. Now Mr Webb is in the process of constructing the largest raptor aviary and enclosure in the southern hemisphere at his Raptor and Wildlife Refuge of Tasmania. ``There has been generous donations made towards the new construction but there is still a hefty cost,'' he said. ``The central pole will be more then 20m tall [and the netting is similar to what they use in fish farms. The design is fairly basic, but it works.''

It will be the third large avairy on his property, which he said is essential to keep up with the number of rescued animals. He has been rescuing Tasmanian wildlife for more than 12 years. He said spring was the busiest time of year for injured animals. `At the moment I have more then 10 birds in my care, they are all doing quite well,'' he said. Mr Webb also works as a concreter as well as managing and maintaining the raptor refuge. `We get a lot of school groups coming through, they are important for educating the young ones as they grow up,'' he said. ``Educating people on the magnificence of these creatures is my priority, and making people realise the risks they are at because of man's activities. ``There is no feeling like releasing one of these magnificent creatures to the wild.'' For more information on Mr Webb's efforts, go to http://www.raptorrefuge.com.au *Tasmania Sunday Mail

Cassowary 18/12/09

2009-12-17T11:40:00.001-08:00

A cassowary chick has died after being hit by a car in the Daintree. The bird was struck and left beside the Cape Kimberley Rd, north of the Daintree River, sparking fresh pleas from Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers for drivers to slow down and be extra cautious on rainforest roads. Senior ranger Tina Alderson said the dead bird was found by a Daintree resident last week. Its death follows a vehicle strike near Mission Beach, south of Cairns, which killed an adult cassowary several weeks ago.

The areas are known for cassowary warning signs. "The chick was found just beyond signage warning motorists of cassowaries in the area," Ms Alderson said. "It weighed about 4kg and would have still been with its father." She urged motorists to "do their bit" for conservation of the bird, which is listed as endangered. People can report dead cassowaries in the Daintree region to Queensland Parks and Wildlife 's Mossman office on 4098 2188, and in other areas on 1300 130 372. * Cairns Post

Muttonbirds 12/11/09

2009-11-16T13:32:00.000-08:00

More Dead Muttonbirds

Thousands of muttonbirds - upon arriving in Australia to breed - have been found dead along the Victorian and NSW coasts in the past two weeks. The birds, properly known as short-tailed shearwaters, probably died from exhaustion and malnutrition following their migratory flight to Australia from the Arctic Pacific. The Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment said about 1000 shearwaters were found washed up between Portland and Apollo Bay. A Government spokesman said the DSE had ''taken samples and performed autopsies on some of the birds''. A Warrnambool-based DSE officer has reportedly suggested a shortage of fish caused the birds to starve. The situation along the Great Ocean Road has been complicated by a red algal bloom that is being blamed for the deaths of a variety of bird species, including cormorants. Dead fish have also been reported by concerned members of the public.

Meanwhile, National Parks and Wildlife Service officers in NSW have concluded that the hundreds of shearwaters that perished on the Central Coast last week succumbed to exhaustion on the final leg of their 30,000-kilometre round trip from the top of the world. Bird experts say there is a natural cull each year of older and inexperienced younger birds, but not often in numbers that cause alarm to the public. Rob Farnes, a Birds Australia observer based in Portland, said he found 86 dead birds on a three-kilometre walk along the coast two days ago. In previous years he has picked up hundreds of shearwaters, but that was over 16 kilometres. ''And I've never seen them inside the harbour before,'' he said. * Age

Crashlanding Birds

Drivers on New Zealand's south island are having to dodge birds which have begun crash-landing on roads. Hutton's shearwaters spend half of the year in Tasmania, then fly to New Zealand to lay their eggs. On the Kaikoura coast, near Christchurch, the sea birds are mistaking roads for flat expanses of water. Park Ranger Mike Morrissey says large numbers are crash landing on the bitumen. "It varies a lot, we've had up to 50 odd in one night," he said. He says the birds are being confused by bright lights. "Round town they're hitting buildings and the hard surfaces." The ranger says luckily, most of the birds have not been hurt, just stunned. *ABC

Ducks Shot in S.A.

2009-11-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

The Belair Park Golf Club has copped an angry backlash from people across the country following its controversial wood duck cull. About 30 ducks were killed by a registered duck shooter earlier this month to cut back the unusually high numbers plaguing the golfing greens, under a permit granted by the National Parks and Wildlife. One of the club's directors Ron Marshall said he'd been bombarded by ``at least 50 emails from people all over the country'' angered at the cull after reading about it on adelaidenow.com.au ``I was also abused over the phone by a woman from Victoria,'' he said. ``Everyone jumps on the bandwagon but most people don't understand what's going on and that the (Belair) National Park supported us in this.'' Mr Marshall said he responded to each email, explaining the reasons for the cull and received ``understanding'' replies. ``It's the first time we've done it in the five years we've been here and we won't be doing it again.

``The major thing people have to understand is that it was an occupational health and safety hazard with people walking into the restaurant with duck faeces on their shoes and little babies crawling along the floor picking it up and putting it in their mouths. ``You're the devil if you do and the devil if you don't.'' Mr Marshall said the cull was a ``last resort'' after rubber snakes and eagle kites - aimed to scare off the ducks - and Duck Off herbicide failed to work. `We've saved more ducks than we've destroyed. Last year alone we would have saved 50 or 60 birds and some koalas by taking them to the (Belair National Park).''

A spokesman for the Department of Environment and Heritage, who issued the permit, said the culling of 40 ducks was approved ``to encourage the broader population to move to other areas''. Bev Langley, from the Cherry Gardens Minton Farm Animal Rescue Centre, said the cull was ``disappointing but bound to happen''. ``It's just an unfortunate thing, sometimes people and animals do clash,'' she said. Friends of Belair National Park president Mike Cerchez said he didn't see ``a big issue'' with the cull. ``The wood ducks are native but they're not rare and they had permission,'' he said. A group of concerned residents was expected to hold a demonstration at the entrance of the golf club on Saturday, October 24, after the paper's deadline. Organiser Sally Sutton, of Hawthorndene, said she expected a ``strong turnout'' after emailing up to 100 people and putting up posters in Blackwood. *Hills Valley Messenger

Muttonbirds

2009-11-02T16:57:00.000-08:00

Mutton birds in the midst of their annual migration are crashing onto NSW beaches because of exhaustion, warns a wildlife rescue group. The NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service says it has been inundated with exhausted birds, mainly short-tailed shearwaters, or Tasmanian mutton birds as they are known. These ``wanderers of the sea'' make one of the longest annual trips of any bird species, skirting around the Pacific Ocean for about six or seven months. The rescue group said it was caring for birds that had been rescued from Sydney's beaches.

``Many are exhausted from the long migration and crash onto suburban and city beaches before they reach home,'' the group said. ``In some years many hundreds of birds can be found dead or dying on beaches right along the coast of NSW.'' The group said mortality rates during migration can be very high, with up to 1600 birds dying per kilometre in particularly bad years. However, it said the short-tailed shearwater was among the world's most populous birds. There was no cause for alarm as it was a process of ``natural mortality'', the group said. `The gruelling migration is perhaps nature's way of sorting the weak from the strong,'' it said. *SMH

Ed Comment; Actually WIRES is wrong. Shearwater numbers are believed to be very low, and in Tasmania they are still legally hunted and eaten.

Magpie Geese

2009-08-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

While writing a story about Australian magpie geese recently, I was reminded of once a few years ago when a rural neighbor of mine couldnt get a Permit to shoot magpie geese. He claimed they were eating the grass he needed for his cattle. So he purchased a gas powered cannon and placed it at the edge of the lake. This cannon went of at irregular intervals (day and night, to the chagrin of the neighbors) to frighten the magpie geese away.

Within a couple of weeks the geese were perching on the cannon, not the least bit afraid of the noise. Then we received some heavy rain, the lake came up and covered the gas-powered cannon, the lake water got into the works, and it blew itself up. Very sad, but the neighbors had a barbeque to celebrate. *Pat OBrien

Rooks and Crows

2009-08-10T15:23:00.001-07:00

Aesop was quite the fable-teller, but was he a student of bird behavior as well? A study in Current Biology suggests he might have been. Christopher Bird of the University of Cambridge and Nathan J. Emery of Queen Mary University of London report that rooks, a relative of the crow, are able to use stones to raise the level of water in a container so they can reach a floating worm. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s similar to Aesop’s fable about the crow and the pitcher, in which a thirsty bird adds stones to raise the water level in a pitcher in order to drink from it. Crows, rooks and other corvids are known for their tool use — using sticks as probes, for example, or fashioning hooks out of wire. Dr. Bird, who studies corvid behavior, knew of a 1980s study in which a rook plugged a hole in its aviary to allow a pool of water to form. That led him to wonder if a corvid could do what is described in the fable.

They experimented with four captive rooks, presenting them with a clear tube partly filled with water with a bug floating on top, and a pile of stones. In one variant, the starting height of the water changed from trial to trial. In another, the birds had a choice of two sizes of stone. The birds quickly caught on, and within a couple of trials had figured out how many stones they needed to bring the bug within reach. “It was a remarkable combination of some understanding of the task with really rapid learning,” Dr. Bird said. The findings were published in Current Biology. Rooks don’t use tools in the wild, because they don’t need to — they have easy access to food like carrion. But in captivity, they can be presented with a situation like this, where it pays to figure out how to perform a task. “This fits nicely with Aesop’s moral,” Dr. Bird said, “that necessity is the mother of invention.”

The researchers suggested that Aesop (or whoever came up with the fable, since the stories are thought to have many origins) may have seen similar behavior in a crow. Or perhaps, Dr. Bird said, it was a rook. “In folklore all members of the corvid family are just called crow,” he said. “So it might just as easily have been Aesop’s rook.” *New York Times

Birdstrike!

2009-08-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

No injuries were reported among the 140 passengers and five crewmembers aboard the MD-80 jetliner bound from Lambert-St. LouisInternational Airport to Los Angeles on Wednesday. An American spokeswoman says the pilot noticed a bird, believedto be a red-tailed hawk, flying into the right engine as the planetook off.

The plane landed a few minutes later. The passengers andcrew later flew to Los Angeles on another plane. Bird-aircraft collisions are not unusual. However, they havereceived added scrutiny since a US Airways flight ditched into theHudson River in January after hitting a flock of Canada geese. Allaboard survived. *AP

Gouldian Finch bounces Back!

2009-08-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Gouldian Finch

The endangered Gouldian finch is back breeding at Mareeba. A recent sighting of a tagged finch feeding along the Barron River has given conservationists fresh hope the brightly coloured bird was breeding in the region after 50 years. Before the 1960s, the finch was a common sight in Australia's tropical savannahs and as far east as the Clohesy River between Kuranda and Mareeba but numbers have hit catastrophic lows. Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland spokesperson Gwyneth Nevard said numbers in the wild were now believed to be as low as 2500. "For several years staff and volunteers of the conservancy at the Mareeba Wetlands have been breeding and releasing the critically endangered finch into the wild, relying on locals and birders to report sightings," she said. Ms Nevard said not only had the birds survived in the wild for nearly two years but the presence of unbranded juveniles proves they are breeding. The Gouldian finch is easily identified by its green back, yellow and white underparts and sky-blue rump. Males have a purple breast and the females pink and the head is usually black but it can also be red or orange. Anyone spotting a Gouldian finch is urged to call the Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland on 040 893 303. *Cairns Post

Meanwhile a new study has found that the pied flycather calls up a mob of other flycachers to drive an intruding bird away, but remembers the birds who helped, and repays each bird in kind. Apparently some birds have even learned that “play¬ing nice pays.” http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/080706_flycatcher.htm

A New Songbird!

2009-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

New Songbird Found

A bald-headed songbird with a pink, nearly featherless face and distinctive calls has just been found in a rugged region of Laos, according to scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Melbourne who made the discovery. Aside from its unique characteristics, the avian is noteworthy because it is the only known bald songbird in Asia. The find additionally marks the first description in over 100 years of a new Asian species of bulbul, since the songbird has been placed in that family of birds. This bulbul was named Pycnonotus hualon, with "hualon" being the Lao word for "bald-headed." Hardly a shy and retiring bird, the bald-headed bulbul foraged and noisily moved about the researchers during the day, making them wonder how this eye-catching bird went undiscovered for so long. "Certainly one reason is that the bird appears to be truly restricted to some very harsh and inaccessible terrain in Indochina," Peter Clyne told Discovery News. Clyne is the assistant director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Asia Program. Funded by a local copper and gold mining company, researchers Iain Woxvold, Will Duckworth and Rob Timmins recently surveyed birds at Pha Lom, a limestone outcrop in Laos. That's when the bald-headed beauty caught their eye. "The bird had alighted directly overhead in a small, leafless tree, where it remained for two to three minutes, feeding casually on small fruits and cocking its head to gain a clear view of the observer," the researchers report in the latest issue of Forktail, the journal of the Oriental Bird Club. Before long, the songbird was "joined by another, similar bird. The duo flew off soon after." *MSNBC

Sparrows and Parrots

2009-08-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Dead Sparrows

A mysterious decline in Hobart's sparrow population requires prompt analysis, a wildlife expert said yesterday. Veterinarian David Obendorf urged people who discover newly dead sparrows to collect the carcasses and deliver them to authorities. He said the Department of Primary Industries and Water needed to conduct autopsies on the birds to determine whether they were suffering toxic reactions or viral infections. Dr Obendorf said it was imperative Tasmania investigated the cause of the decline because other species, including livestock, could be affected. "I suggest people, if they know the birds are freshly dead, contact the Department of Primary Industries and Water and ensure there is a post-mortem," he said. Bird watchers around Hobart have recently noticed a large decline in the city's sparrow population.

Bird lovers at Sandy Bay, Kingston, Blackmans Bay, Coningham and Mt Nelson want to know why sparrows are no longer thriving in backyards and are being found dead on the ground. Dr Obendorf said people could not be complacent about the deaths simply because sparrows were an introduced species. "We need to take this seriously, especially if there are reports from a number of quarters of mass mortalities." He said it was impossible to know whether the deaths were related to Newcastle Disease, which usually affects domestic poultry flocks and is not thought to be present in Tasmania. Dr Obendorf said questions were also being raised in Northern Europe where a range of songbirds -- including sparrows, starlings and blackbirds -- were dying in large numbers.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in London last week launched a "Save Our Sparrows" campaign in response to a huge decline in bird numbers. Dr Obendorf said the fragile status of the birds in Northern Europe placed greater importance on Australia's sparrow population. He said Australia could not simply disregard the birds as pests and must safeguard them if they were being wiped out in other countries. Birds Tasmania chairman Eric Woehler said sparrow numbers could be down because of Tasmania's cold and wet winter. "The conditions may have resulted in a reduction in food for the birds," he said. *Mercury

Swift Parrots

The State's Premier Nathan Rees is being asked to intervene to stop logging at a New South Wales Far South Coast forest after sightings of an endangered bird species. The Greens say the swift parrot has been reported in the Bermagui forest, which is set to be logged in coming weeks. The rare blossom-feeding birds are using the forest to find food on their annual migration from the Tasmania's eucalypt forests. Greens Upper House Member of Parliament, Lee Rhiannon, wants the Premier to ensure Forests New South Wales does nothing to disrupt or destroy the area where the birds are feeding. "Normally the birds migrate further inland before they come to the coast and sometimes they even reach Queensland," she said. "It is a very significant development considering there's so few of these species left. "Logging of its winter feeding habitat near Bermagui is simply unacceptable." *ABC

Geese and Eagles

2009-08-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Magpie Geese Hunting

Non-Indigenous hunters of magpie geese will be banned from using lead shot this year, the Northern Territory Department of Parks and Wildlife says. The magpie geese hunting season begins on September 1 and will run until the end of the year. Department spokesman Brett Easton says lead shot has been restricted for some time and this year it is being extended to water fowl hunting. "It's well recognised the impacts of lead and what impacts that can have on the health of the actual bird population," he said. "At the end of the day it's really important for the hunters. "We don't want to see an accumulation of lead in the system." The secretary of NT Field and Game, George Hennessy, agrees lead shot should be banned over wetlands, but not over other areas. He also says Indigenous shooters should have the same restrictions. "Not only should non-Indigenous hunters be required to observe a non-toxic shot in wetlands but so should Indigenous shooters for the health issues alone," Mr Hennessy said. "And we actually believe that the Government has a duty of care to non-Indigenous shooters to look after their health too." Parks and Wildlife says a new management plan for magpie geese is expected to to be publicly released in mid August.

Golden Eagles

Ambitious plans to bring Golden Eagles back to Ireland have been guaranteed for the next two years, it was revealed today. Scottish conservationists will continue to support the project by supplying chicks despite a series of poisonings in Donegal, Kerry and Wicklow. In the last years five White-tailed Eagles, one Golden Eagle and two Red Kites have been poisoned and experts believe several more birds were also victims of killer bait and their bodies not recovered. Officials in Scotland said they will donate seven more chicks this year bringing the total number of Golden Eagles released in Donegal to 65. Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe, director of science and biodiversity for the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service, welcomed the move. “I have been pleased to contribute to this review, and reiterate my thanks to Scotland for providing us with Golden Eagles to continue this massively important project,” he said. *IOL