Haven't seen any scarlet-backed wrens or zebra finches for quite a while. Also haven't had any butcherbirds visiting. Did the butcherbirds disappear because the smaller birds went? Or did the smaller birds disappear because the butcherbirds chased/ate them away? We still get plenty of double barred finches and brown honey eaters so I wonder why the other small birds have stopped coming. The butcherbirds used to come onto the verandah and eat the cat food (yes, sorry, we still have geriatric cats - remnants from our kids). The food is still there but not the birds. Seems very strange. Any thoughts?
There's a good chance that your butcherbirds bred up in numbers with the help of the cat food then supplemented this with all the little birds in your area.
A good idea for cat food is to only leave it out for 10-15 minutes for the cats then remove it so birds big birds don't get a free feed.
Have there been any other changes to the environment? A loss of seeding grasses that would have been attracting the finches? Loss of small shrubs that the wrens would have felt protected in? Drought in your area?
There are many possibilities.
---booshkie---
Thanks booshkie. We didn't see any increase in the number of butcherbirds before they disappeared. Only change in the yard is that the lime tree that the wrens and zebra finches used to frequent had a grub and had to be radically pruned, which could explain it, though there's plenty of other trees inside and outside the yard that they could shelter in. As for the drought, well, we've had more rain this season than in the 17 years since we moved here, so perhaps the birds have dispersed a bit.
Re the cat food - we have been restricting it, not because of the butcherbirds, since they're not here at the moment, but because of the blue-faced honeyeaters. Apparently they also like dry cat food and have been bringing their babies to eat it. I can't believe it's good for them but they seem to love it. There was a family of 5 here this morning, but fortunately not swooping on the cat food, but picking insects out of cobwebs - plenty of those around here as well.
Jenny - a bird in the hand is worth ... releasing.
The butcherbirds seem to have moved on in my local park. They nested in November, produced, fledged and have gone. Some still sing high in the trees but the grass parrots and lorikeets no long cry in alarm when they hear or see a BB.
Im still learning by observation! Sue
Hello there Blackswan
You'll have to tell me what a Grass Parrot is. That must be the local name, so is it possible for you to tell me what the common name for the species is please. Do you have a photo?
I believe red-rump parrots are sometimes called grass parrots
Thanks Holly
Yes, I meant a red rump. I call them grass parrots cos thats where they spend a lot of time, feeding. Altho they breed in the high gum trees, greys and forest reds, in the park. Sue