Another problem related to human occupation of the land is the soundscape. Ornithologists say bird song is becoming LESS complex, and more strident, to compete with the rising level of background noise in the urban landscape.
Some loss of birdlife is due to competition between species. Noisy Miners form "mobs" and push fairy wrens, silver-eyes and other small birds out (there is also of course habitat loss of dense undergrowth) -And they mob bigger birds like the Currawong and Butcherbird and Australian Magpie. This is a native, harrassing other natives. There's also the Indian Mynah doing much the same thing but less aggressively.
Sparrows have disappeared from the urban landscape (at least as I see it in Brisbane) -Once ubiquitous, now significantly less common. This may be habitat loss, same as pigeons: Their niche for nesting and socialising is pretty specific.
Bin chickens are doing fine: They nest in the ubiquitous palm tree tops. They're happy as, flipping burgers and shake cups. Good times.
For an interesting take on urban bird/human interactions, look for stuff by Darryl Jones, a professor of ecology at Griffith Uni. And Dr Anne Jones on the ABC has done several great TV documentaries on the urban birdscape of Australia. Fairy penguins living in the breakwaters of the Melbourne bay close to the city, Migrants from Asia and the far north on the beaches of Moreton bay where I live in Queensland.
ggm•6mo ago
Some loss of birdlife is due to competition between species. Noisy Miners form "mobs" and push fairy wrens, silver-eyes and other small birds out (there is also of course habitat loss of dense undergrowth) -And they mob bigger birds like the Currawong and Butcherbird and Australian Magpie. This is a native, harrassing other natives. There's also the Indian Mynah doing much the same thing but less aggressively.
Sparrows have disappeared from the urban landscape (at least as I see it in Brisbane) -Once ubiquitous, now significantly less common. This may be habitat loss, same as pigeons: Their niche for nesting and socialising is pretty specific.
Bin chickens are doing fine: They nest in the ubiquitous palm tree tops. They're happy as, flipping burgers and shake cups. Good times.
For an interesting take on urban bird/human interactions, look for stuff by Darryl Jones, a professor of ecology at Griffith Uni. And Dr Anne Jones on the ABC has done several great TV documentaries on the urban birdscape of Australia. Fairy penguins living in the breakwaters of the Melbourne bay close to the city, Migrants from Asia and the far north on the beaches of Moreton bay where I live in Queensland.