What bird is this?

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lorihowlett
lorihowlett's picture
What bird is this?

I have all my bird ID books still packed away, so not sure how to work out what this is.. I'll try to get a photo, but it's not pretty - my cat brought it home to me (yes, I'm so ashamed and adding more bells the collar).

The bird is a small wren-shaped bird with white and black feather, red on it's head (around the eye) and some yellow on it's wings. We are in the Ballarat, Victoria area (if that helps). I've never seen anything other than magpies, ravens, sparrows and cockatoos around here, so this is new. We don't yet have a garden, so I think that's why we don't get many small natives.

Anyway, I'll try to get a photo.

Lori

lorihowlett
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Here is the photo:

magpie
magpie's picture

Your photo isnt working.

Red whiskered bulbul? although they are not wren shaped..

lorihowlett
lorihowlett's picture

Sorry - hopefully the image will work this time. Okay, so time to re-write what I put initially. I said wren shaped - but as it was not standing when I saw it I guess that might not be accurate. I should say it was a small bird - about the size of a sparrow. On second inspection, it had a finch-like beak. It had brown and cream feathers - not black and white - and had some yellow feathers in its wings and a red "mask" on its face - around its eyes and beak. My guess is that it was living in my neighbours garden a few hundred metres from our house.

DenisWilson
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It is a European Goldfinch. An introduced species, but one which fortunately seems not to be a problem - except for its fondness for Thistles. But Thistle seeds blow around anyway, so do not need birds to disperse the seeds.
I had to chase a big Ginger Cat out of my garden today. And this is a reminder why.
They are dangerous animals if allowed out of the house. Some of my best friends are cat lovers, but they keep them inside 100% of the time. It is possible.
Cheers
Denis

magpie
magpie's picture

Sad. I live near a lake and yesterday found a Black Swan dead, i think a dog had got it. I then noticed a house on the lake lets its dog run free down to the water, despite the fact there are swans, pelican, ducks, lapwings and other shore birds about.

I love pets but detest irresponsible owners. Bells on collars dont work. Cats are just too fast. hence they should not be allowed to roam free in the Australian environment where our wildlife has not adapted to predators.

Im a cat lover! Dont get me wrong.

Yes cats can be kept 100% indoors but many don't like that, it is not natural after all. That is why cat enclosures should be built. I have a very large outdoor cat enclosure that comes off the house so my cats have the best of both worlds, without harming wildlife or themselves.

lorihowlett
lorihowlett's picture

Yes, thanks - I get it.

Andy
Andy's picture

Magpie, regarding the people who let their dog run around near the lake - do you know which house the dog belongs to? If so, you could put a friendly note in the owners' letterbox. You could say that you're a local, and that you've noticed that their dog often plays down by the lake. You just wanted to let them know there are little birds down there, and you're a bit worried that their dog might kill them. You've noticed a couple of dead birds. You thought they might want to know, so that they can keep their dog in the yard.

To make the note friendly, you could say you've noticed their "friendly little dog" or something similar / appropriate.

If you put a note in the letterbox, but still see the dog near the lake, maybe you could give the owners a more "hinting" note, saying something like "Just thought I'd let you know that people from the council have been hanging around, and I'm worried that if they see your dog out without a lead, they will take it away". Or you could say that there are snakes at the lake.

If the dog continues hanging around, maybe you could call the council, not necessarily to have the dog taken away, but to have the owners phoned, as if the dog is a runaway (if it has an id tag).

Andy.

magpie
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I might try and do that later, unfortunately i dont think thats the only dog though as most of the houses there have no fencing.

Andy
Andy's picture

Maybe you could photocopy a few letters. It's a shame the dog owners don't have fences.

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