I’ve just visited Melbourne for 4 days and yesterday went to the Melbourne zoo. Two curiosities: a Blue-faced Honeyeater on the outside of the Great Flight Aviary keeping company with one Blue-faced Honeyeater on the inside. I was surprised to see how many people are so dumb as to open the inner or outer of the double doors whilst someone else is holding the other one open, so surely things will escape.
The other odd thing is just inside the entrance (or exit) under the dome, a female Eclectus Parrot and a Pink Cockatoo occupying the same hollow stump and looking very chummy with a lot of allopreeening of each other whilst exchanging places in the hollow. There is a male Eclectus Parrot in the aviary.
Philip
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Hi Philip, The Pink Cockatoo/Eclectus pair in Melbourne Zoo have been keeping company for years. I don’t think the male Eclectus has a hope.
Years ago, there was a male Satin Bowerbird complete with bower in the Great Flight Aviary, as well as a green bird or two. A second male Satin BB lived in the planting just outside the Aviary, on the east side, apparently at liberty. I asked a keeper – apparently the two male birds fought so much they had to be separated, and the loose male would not leave the society of the captive ones. We saw them trying to fight through the wire. We were told that it would be very easy to catch the loose bird when there was a suitable aviary to put him in. I have also seen a male Golden Pheasant outside an aviary furiously trying to beat up another on the inside – as aggressive as fighting cocks. That was many years ago. I agree that many visitors are very careless about the double door system. And it’s not only about keeping captives in – it’s also about keeping the House Sparrows and occasional Tree Sparrows out.
Anthea Fleming
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================