——– Forwarded Message ——– Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Nineteenth Century Acclimatisation Societies Weren’t Too Bright From: brian fleming <flambeau@labyrinth.net.au> To: Laurie Knight <l.knight@optusnet.com.au> House and Tree Sparrows were introduced to Australia for precisely the same reason – it was known that they fed their young mainly on caterpillars, and other insects, while people forgot that adult Sparrows are grain and seed-eaters. Western Australia was most insistent that Sparrows should not be established there, and special precautions were taken to ensure that Sparrows did not follow the horse-teams working on the Trans-Australia Railway as it was built across the Nullarbor. I believe the South Australian gangs worked out as far as they could, then all camps evacuated, and any surviving Sparrows were shot or poisoned. Then the WA gangs worked their way out to join up. They still patrol for Sparrows and Starlings in the border region. More details in Eric Rolls’ excellent book “They all ran wild”.. Anthea Fleming On 19/01/2015 6:09 PM, Laurie Knight wrote: > A classic example is the transport of a grain-eating bunting to New Zealand for the supposed purpose of controlling insect pests … > > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150116161533.htm > > How the yellowhammer bird became a Kiwi: From hero to villain in 15 years >
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