This morning I found a dead Southern Boobook in Altona, presumably hit by a train during the night. I didn’t have time to do anything about it, as I was on the way to the station, so I hid it in the bushes. What should I do if it’s still there tonight? Should things like this be sent to a museum, or does that only apply to rarer species?
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Phillip
Birds feigning death in order to achieve an ulterior motive is part of folklore and, if I’m not mistaken, well-documented in Bugs Bunny cartoons.
Regards
David
You all had better tune in to Bush Telegraph on Radio National NOW. Item on Victorian disappearing Owls. Repeated tonight.
Wendy
G’day Peter,
Rory Obrien at Melbourne Museum robrien@museum.vic.gov.au will put it in the freezer when he receives it, so you may as well do the same. Then keep it frozen when you take it to hand in by putting it in a cooler with freezer bricks. Contact Rory first to ask if he wants it.
Cheers Jeff.
Best thing to do with dead birds – make sure you have protection first, face mask, gloves (with parrots especially – good to change and wash your clothes after handling) to protect you from zoonotics. Wet the bird down with warm soapy water if possible – if not just wet it down. Wrap in a couple of layers of damp newspaper. Then double bag – plastic bag or zip lock. Place in esky with ice or cooler brick until at location. Not good to freeze for follow up investigations, unless using for display purposes (not too sure about that one).
Kind regards Michelle Plant
Wendy Hog-nosed Snakes are three genera of colubrid that flip over on their back and play dead when they feel they’re being threatened. They have a cute little upturned snout that they use for burrowing. Denise
on 25/6/10 2:54 PM, Wendy at woobinda@pipeline.com.au wrote:
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Don’t keep us in suspense Denise!! What do they do?? Hide in mud wallows or bushes with their ‘Hog-noses’ sticking out and attract inquisitive pigs, to eat??
raptor in
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I enjoyed the joke too. The idea of an owl feigning death to lure a raptor made me smile. Reminds me of one of the creatures I really wanted to see in the US – a “hog-nosed snake” !
Peter, thank you for sharing with us. Denise
on 25/6/10 1:46 PM, Wendy at woobinda@pipeline.com.au wrote:
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I am certain that Peter passed on this Wag’s suggestion, to allow us all to share the joke. I for one enjoyed the joke. Thanks for sharing it Peter. I appreciate serious ornithological discussions too. This was what I liked most when I first joined this group, many years ago. There were many of those discussions, to which Philip frequently contributed interesting information. Wendy
—– Original Message —– Cc: Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 12:25 PM
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Colin
Yes, it was an interesting discussion, right down to the disappointing finale with someone or something making off with Peter’s owl.
Generally, it is illegal to have protected fauna or parts thereof in your possession without authority. However, it is unlikely that you would be prosecuted if you were in the act of transporting a dead bird to a museum or other institute.
My organisation held a permit to maintain a reference collection of skeletal material and for many years I collected roadkill, beach washed creatures and even received some Cape Barren Geese from Healesville Sanctuary after a fox penetrated their enclosure. I was never asked to produce our permit and, in fact, no-one ever asked why I was collecting dead animals.
The only restriction on our permit was that rare specimens had to be offered to the Museum.
David
“Colin R” To Sent by: birding-aus@vicnet.net.au birding-aus-bounc cc es@vicnet.net.au Subject Re: [Birding-Aus] What to do with a 23/06/10 07:46 AM dead owl?
An interesting discussion. We’ve all come across dead birds etc that could have been of benefit to, it appears, a range of people!
I thought that picking up roadkill was illegal – or is that an urban myth? – or maybe just a Queensland thing? It hasn’t stopped me in the past and it won’t stop me in the future, but I thought I remembered hearing something along those lines?
Can anyone confirm?
Colin
On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:21 +1000, “Ian & Carla Jackett” wrote: href=”mailto:birding-aus@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus@vicnet.net.au” < birding-aus@vicnet.net.au> href=”mailto:pshute@nuw.org.au”>pshute@nuw.org.au> href=”mailto:birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au — Colin Reid jangles@fastmail.fm So many birds, so little time……
— http://www.fastmail.fm – Does exactly what it says on the tin
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Having just become a Queenslander I have discovered that I may not take/collect ‘protected wildlife’. In my former life as a government scientist I could collect anything other than thylacines and blue whales (they were forbidden on my permit). Which means I now cannot take beach-washed sea snakes or dead birds unless I apply for a permit to do so and a reason for doing so too. But I doubt I would be prosecuted if I had a dead animal in my freezer for a few days before I could take it to the Queensland Museum. Have not tested this yet! Helen
< ')/////==< ________________________________ href="mailto:birding-aus@vicnet.net.au">birding-aus@vicnet.net.au Sent: Wed, 23 June, 2010 7:46:39
An interesting discussion. We’ve all come across dead birds etc that could have been of benefit to, it appears, a range of people!
I thought that picking up roadkill was illegal – or is that an urban myth? – or maybe just a Queensland thing? It hasn’t stopped me in the past and it won’t stop me in the future, but I thought I remembered hearing something along those lines?
Can anyone confirm?
Colin
On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:21 +1000, “Ian & Carla Jackett” wrote: href=”mailto:birding-aus@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus@vicnet.net.au” < birding-aus@vicnet.net.au> href=”mailto:pshute@nuw.org.au”>pshute@nuw.org.au> href=”mailto:birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au — Colin Reid jangles@fastmail.fm So many birds, so little time……
— http://www.fastmail.fm – Does exactly what it says on the tin
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Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. Greg’s suggestion below is pretty much what Rory O’Brien said, but unfortunately the bird was gone when I returned last night.
Looking at the “hiding place” I’d chosen, it was a pretty pathetic effort. I’d hidden it from view from passers by, but any fox or raptor would have seen it with little effort. Next time I have to quickly hide an owl before I run to catch a train I’ll try to do better.
Peter Shute
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An interesting discussion. We’ve all come across dead birds etc that could have been of benefit to, it appears, a range of people!
I thought that picking up roadkill was illegal – or is that an urban myth? – or maybe just a Queensland thing? It hasn’t stopped me in the past and it won’t stop me in the future, but I thought I remembered hearing something along those lines?
Can anyone confirm?
Colin
On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:21 +1000, “Ian & Carla Jackett” wrote: href=”mailto:birding-aus@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus@vicnet.net.au” < birding-aus@vicnet.net.au> href=”mailto:pshute@nuw.org.au”>pshute@nuw.org.au> href=”mailto:birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au — Colin Reid jangles@fastmail.fm So many birds, so little time……
— http://www.fastmail.fm – Does exactly what it says on the tin
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Peter, You can drop such things at the “Discovery Centre” which is accessed via the main Museum entrance (opposite Exhibition Buildings), go down stair/escalator to the left and into the Discovery Centre via glass doors. There is a staffed reception counter there. Like Greg said “Include a piece of paper with the species name, date, location (lat., long. if known), cause of death (if known), collector’s name and contact details.”
wendy
—– Original Message —– Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1:19 PM
OK, I’ll do that then, if some dog hasn’t found it. How do I store it till I can get it there? Is it ok to put it in a ziplock bag? And where do I take it in Melbourne? The Victorian Museum? Do I have to ring first? How quick should I get it there?
Peter Shute
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Michelle, what does the soapy water do?
Peter Shute
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Hi Michelle,
You are correct about not freezing the specimen if an autopsy or other tests are required to determine the cause of death. For specimens where this is not required freezing is suitable.
Regards
Greg
—– Original Message —–; Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1:59 PM
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Hi Peter,
Just freeze the specimen and take it in to the Museum at your convenience. A ‘phone call would probably be best to make sure that someone is there to receive and store it. I am not sure of the arrangements in Melbourne. I know that Walter Boles at the Australian Museum in Sydney is always happy to get specimens.
Include a piece of paper with the species name, date, location (lat., long. if known), cause of death (if known), collector’s name and contact details.
Regards
Greg Clancy Ecologist and Birding Guide Coutts Crossing NSW http://www.birdrangers.com
—– Original Message —– Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1:19 PM
OK, I’ll do that then, if some dog hasn’t found it. How do I store it till I can get it there? Is it ok to put it in a ziplock bag? And where do I take it in Melbourne? The Victorian Museum? Do I have to ring first? How quick should I get it there?
Peter Shute
href=”mailto:birding-aus@vicnet.net.au”>birding-aus@vicnet.net.au
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OK, I’ll do that then, if some dog hasn’t found it. How do I store it till I can get it there? Is it ok to put it in a ziplock bag? And where do I take it in Melbourne? The Victorian Museum? Do I have to ring first? How quick should I get it there?
Peter Shute
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Hi Peter,
It is a good idea to send any specimens of wild fauna that you find to a museum and let the people there decide if it is of value. Even common species can be of use as skeletons or for dissection, education etc. I would suggest that specimens of the Southern Boobook would be very valuable in helping to further clarify the winter movements of the species from Tasmania and other areas.
Greg Clancy Ecologist and Birding Guide Coutts Crossing NSW http://www.birdrangers.com
—– Original Message —– Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 12:18 PM
This morning I found a dead Southern Boobook in Altona, presumably hit by a train during the night. I didn’t have time to do anything about it, as I was on the way to the station, so I hid it in the bushes. What should I do if it’s still there tonight? Should things like this be sent to a museum, or does that only apply to rarer species?
Peter Shute==========
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