Sparrowhawks vs YTBCockatoos

Yesterday in Mulgoa Valley, six YTBCs were screeching and wildly flying into and around a Radiata pine whose cones were providing their lunch. Investigating, there were four (4) Sparrowhawks noisily attacking the cockatoos, which after about five minutes departed. Couldn’t tell age or sex of Sparrowhawks but presumably they were two families, unless there was . . . → Read More: Sparrowhawks vs YTBCockatoos

Sparrows and starlings

Our resident sparrows here in Mulgoa Valley disappeared when the then neighbours left with their horses. About five years ago. But House Sparrows have also vanished elsewhere. Was thus amazed to see a single male in North Penrith Bunnings garden dept a couple of weeks ago. Lack of insects to feed their young said to . . . → Read More: Sparrows and starlings

Sparrows Orr quiail

Speaking of quail, 24 hours after the first shower of rain for many moons, five quail were feeding on our (small) lawn yesterday, the first day of Spring, unperturbed by my wife hanging out the washing a few feet away. Also at least 30 other spp as well.

Michael. at Mulgoa 50k due west . . . → Read More: Sparrows Orr quiail

House Sparrow Decline

I have to admit it's important to adapt one's thinking in accordance with modernity. Being a 60 something year old male who grew up in Farm country in Canada I always regarded the house sparrow as an invasive pest. They would take over my treasured Tree Swallow nest boxes, killing adults, young and destroying eggs . . . → Read More: House Sparrow Decline

FW: House Sparrow Disappearance

 

 

 

Dear Birding-Aus readers,

 

I am reading the e-mails on Melbourne "Sparrows" with interest and empathy.

 

 I currently live in (and work out of) London, UK. I copy an article below by the RSPB on the similar phenomenon in London as . . . → Read More: FW: House Sparrow Disappearance

Sparrow pie

The decline of house sparrows must be multifactorial. Although probably irrelevant in their overall population, small birds such as sparrows apparently made delicious pies, slowly cooked entire for hours until bones and all were soft enough to eat. These pies were responsible for the carnage of migrating songbirds in Southern Europe, which still goes on . . . → Read More: Sparrow pie

FW: House Sparrows.

My apologies to all … the email I sent a few moments ago should have used the word ROOST … not ROOT, although either word could be used in the context of the discussion!

 

Stephen Ambrose

Ryde NSW

 

From: Stephen Ambrose <stephen@ambecol.com.au&gt; Sent: 7 February 2019 . . . → Read More: FW: House Sparrows.

FW: Melbourne sparrows

In the 1990s I lived in the inner Melbourne suburb of Armadale. We had both House and Tree Sparrows more or less resident in our front garden.

The interesting thing about them was that the smaller Tree Sparrows were clearly higher in the pecking order than their larger cousins.

Richard

. . . → Read More: FW: Melbourne sparrows

House Sparrows.

Until recently we were domiciled in Mulgoa Valley, semi-rural with House Sparrows resident and thriving. Until the horse people next door departed, about five years ago, in retrospect it was over the ensuing months that the sparrows disappeared, only one or two briefly passing through.

The decline has been worldwide.

The most appealing explanation is . . . → Read More: House Sparrows.

Melbourne sparrows

Am briefly in downtown Melbourne, outside the Town Hall, and amazed at the number of House Sparrows.

None in Sydney or Brisbane .

What has Melbourne got that they don’t ?

Cheers. Michael

Sent from my iPhone

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. . . → Read More: Melbourne sparrows