Regent Parrots Feeding on Fruit of the Box Mistletoe

VOL. 10 (7) SEPTEMBER 1984 SONTER: Regent Parrots Feeding on Mistletoe Fruit 239 Regent Parrots Feeding on Fruit of the Box Mistletoe On 15 May 1984 at 1230 h on the New South Wales side of the Murray River some 200 metres downstream from the Euston Caravan Park, I noted the remains of mistletoe fruit strewn on the ground. This fruit was later identified as being Box Mistletoe Amyema miquelii, a common mistletoe of Black Box Eucalyptus largiflorens and, to a lesser degree, River Red Gum E. camaldulensis (Cunningham et al. 1981). The mature red gums under which I was sitting were festooned with clumps of this graceful, drooping parasite. On examining the mistletoe remains, I noted how fresh they were and that only the seed in the centre of the fruit had been removed. The seed had been extracted through a simple puncture of the skin at about the centre of the fruit. On looking up into the tree under which I was sitting, I failed to find the cause responsible for the mass of spent fruit on the ground. A pair of Yellow Rosellas Platycercus elegansflaveolus was feeding nearby in much younger and sapling red gums. I soon discarded the thought that it may have been the Rosellas dropping the mistletoe when I examined fallen debris that the Rosellas had been chewing. It was clear from this examination that the Yellow Rosellas were obtaining food from the well-formed buds of the red gums and in a fashion that was audible some seven metres away. Just as I was about to leave, the familiar call of a Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus seemed to come from a nearby tree. On moving under this next tree in an endeavour to locate the Regent Parrot, I again noted a mass of recently spent mistletoe fruit littering the ground. Even as I stood there the fruit was falling around me. It was only after some time of diligent searching that I located the culprit responsible for the dropped fruit - a female or immature Regent Parrot. Subsequently a further three Regent Parrots, all of a typical female or immature plumage, were located in this one tree. All four birds were feeding on Box Mistletoe that was in a well-ripened stage. On the ground and directly under each individual was a liberal amount of the mistletoe fruit remains. Had one of the birds not called then the Regent Parrots would have gone unnoticed, for there was no audible sound as they fed and they were rather difficult to locate amid the mistletoe foliage. One bird, feeding in a more exposed clump of mistletoe, allowed me a clear and unobstructed view of the feeding procedure. When feeding, most species of cockatoos and parrots make use of the foot as a holding device for food, and Regent Parrots are no exception. However, there was no sign of the foot being used by the bird in question to grasp the fruit. Judging from the accumulation of the sticky mistletoe flesh adhering to the bill, it was clear that the bird was avoiding any foot contact with the sticky substance. At no time during this hour-long observation of the Regent Parrots were they seen to be feeding on anything else other than the Box Mistletoe fruits. This is in contrast to Forshaw (1981) who stated that when observing Regent Parrots in company with Yellow Rosellas near Balranald, they were feeding on the seeds of red gums. Of several road-killed specimens examined by me, SMITH: Further to 'A Retraction of AUSTRALIAN 240 Victorian Dunlin Records' BIRD WATCHER there was no evidence to suggest that the birds had been feeding on Eucalyptus seeds. Forshaw (1981) who listed such a diverse range of foods eaten by Regent Parrots, leaves considerable doubt as to what they do actually utilise as a staple diet. However, he specifically mentioned the birds to favour seeds of both Acacia and Eucalyptus. In view of this it is interesting to note that Cunningham et al. (1981) listed some Acacia species as a host plant of the Box Mistletoe. From my experience gained in the field, and from the preparation of study skins of Regent Parrots, I strongly support a view that the species indulges in a considerable amount of time in the foliage where scale, lerps and manna form a major contribution to the birds' diet. In 1983 both State and Federal wildlife authorities agreed that the Regent Parrot has virtually escaped serious scientific study, and that it is desirable to learn more of its breeding biology in order to curtail the species' supposed decline. Since there are ample breeding sites along the Murray and other rivers perhaps we should be looking at a means of curbing the loss of its food producing habitats as well. References Cunningham, G. M. et al. (1981), Plants of Western New South Wales, Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales, N.S.W. Government Printer. Forshaw, Joseph M. (1981), Australian Parrots, 2nd edn, Lansdowne, Melbourne. By CHRIS SONTER, 72 San Mateo Avenue, Mildura, Victoria 3500 • Further to 'A Retraction of Victorian Dunlin Records' Over two years have passed since I placed a notice in the Australian Bird Watcher 9, 43 retracting my Victorian records (1955-1972) of the Dunlin Calidris alpina. For those readers particularly interested in the circumstances this brief report outlines what prompted me to publish the retraction and what has occurred since then. From 1955, during continued intensive field studies of waders, I have noticed among the migratory sandpipers a number of strange ones of a similar type which until late 1971 seemed to be referable to the Dun1in. Examination of pertinent literature and personal enquiries, here and overseas, tended to support that contention although I was never completely happy with it. It was not until late 1971, after gaining much more field experience of the bird in question and more literary and personal knowledge of the Dunlin, that I began to have other thoughts about the identification of the sandpiper. In 1975 and 1977 two apparently similar birds were collected in South Australia. Both skins were sent to the British and American Museums of .

Load more