10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2019

There was evidence of feral cats and now we have seen foxes around Broome we know they will also be a threat to our local shorebirds. Pied Oystercatcher chicks can swim, but maybe feral cats will too if they are hungry. Some nests had clearly been there for some time and had contained eggs until recently.

Feral Cats 122

Feral Cats Feral Eggs Fox 122

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2019

Geographically, species like Common Wood-Pigeon , European Turtle-Dove , or even feral Rock Pigeon seem most likely in this corner of Aquitaine – but for a rosé wine, how about a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove as a mascot?

2017 115

2017 France Lifestyle Feral 115

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Now that the World Big Year record has been broken by Noah Stryker , with more than three months and much of Asia and Australia to go, I guess a blog post on Big Years is in order. And last but not least, the ABA list is constantly growing due to the inclusion of escapes and ferals with established, self-sustaining populations.

Feral 201

Feral Asia Species Florida 201

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2011

Australia is a dry continent and as such all bird-life needs to take advantage of any fresh water that is available. This may be a simple dripping tap, but one of the biggest attractions in Australia is the Poo Ponds. Here are some views from the air-thanks to Google Earth-so you can see how easy it is to find a Poo Pond in Australia!

Feral Animals 174

Feral Animals Australia Feral Ducks 174

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2012

White-backed / Striated Munia Lonchura striata Munias or mannikins (but not manakins), are small, seed-eating finches from Africa, Asia and Australia. They are popular as caged birds and escapees have established a number of feral populations beyond their normal ranges.

Asia 193

Asia Feral Breeding Africa 193

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2014

The colorful Purple Swamphen ( Porphyrio porphyrio ) lives in wetlands from Portugal and Senegal all the way east to New Zealand and the Samoan Islands, and a feral population is now well established in Florida. Above: Swamphen in Australia by James Niland). Australasian Swamphen.

Papua New Guinea 194

Papua New Guinea Philippines New Zealand Florida 194

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2021

We have to understand, though, that this was a natural predator and not one of our introduced feral cats or foxes. The moist Pied Oystercatcher nest site after the thieving. It was not a good result at all and not what we had hoped to find.

Eggs 261

Eggs Feral Cats Feral Fox 261

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2018

The animal is most likely a feral cat along that stretch of beach, but we also can’t discount a feral fox having encountered a dead one close to Broome recently. The animal walks from nest to nest and it is clear that the nest had been there some time by the number of footprints. Animal prints leading to and from a raided nest.

Eggs 120

Eggs Feral Cats Feral 2018 120

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2020

Feral cats are also a problem in Broome. The adult Pied Oystercatcher was very alert to any movement. Having an eye on the sky is of utmost importance. There are numerous threats from above including Black Kites , Whistling Kites and Brown Goshawks. The adult Pied Oystercatcher managed to convince the chick to get out of sight eventually.

2020 176

2020 Eggs Feral Cats Feral 176

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2012

Feral cats are a huge problem in Australia and they do take a lot of the eggs. Last week I shared with you all some of the delightful chicks that we hope to see in upcoming weeks, but these birds are not always successful on their first attempt at breeding due to predation.

Feral Cats 178

Feral Cats Turtles Eggs Investigation 178

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

As most people know cats, both feral and domestic, have a pretty big impact on wild birds and other wildlife, and the effect of mammals is particularly profound in New Zealand.

New Zealand 120

New Zealand Possums SPCA Hedgehogs 120

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2015

The main problem appears to be feral cats, but there is also predation from birds of prey and the parent Pied Oystercatchers do their utmost to protect their young. Feral cat prints at nest site-eggs gone. A normally quiet species, that walks a lot more than it flies, takes on a whole new role once it has laid eggs.

Feral Cats 159

Feral Cats Eggs Feral Cats 159

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 11, 2019

There are still very real threats of predation by feral cats and birds of prey, but we just have to be optimistic. They are close to a section of reef now, which offers good food and a bit further from the worst of the four-wheel drive traffic.

Feral Cats 125

Feral Cats Eggs Shelters Feral 125

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 11, 2018

We do not add debris to protect the nests and the main threat to the nests still appears to be feral cats. Each one of those nests was slightly different and those with the large pieces of debris around them were exactly as we found them. It is always interesting to observe how little flying the local non-migratory shorebirds actually do.

Feral Cats 109

Feral Cats Eggs Feral Raised 109

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2021

It is also strange, perhaps, that the subject of this short excellent video series, is not from Australia but from the true ‘land of birds’ across the ditch from Australia – New Zealand or Aotearoa. New Zealand has embarked on an amazingly ambitious Feral Free by 2050 project.

New Zealand 262

New Zealand Feral Animals Feral Parrots 262

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2019

As keen birdwatchers, who just happened to have found the Night Parrots in Western Australia, they were keen to look for the Fairy Pitta at first light the next day. This was only to be the second record for Australia. All indications are that it was a feral or domestic cat that had caused its demise. They were also devastated.

Australia 120

Australia Litter Geese Cats 120

10,000 Birds

MARCH 26, 2014

The elimination of vultures had its own knock on effects, such as the increase in feral dogs (now that there was more meat available for them) and corresponding increase in rabies. This story didn’t break today, by the way. The story I linked to is dated to three weeks ago.

Lions 150

Lions Giraffes Zoos Killing 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

Every March, hope springs anew that I’ll cross paths with one of these feral fluffballs, but as April ends, so do another year’s delirious dreams. Clare and Grant-Broome Western Australia Mar 13th, 2011 at 7:59 pm Well done! I’ve been chasing Northern Saw-whet Owls , those adorable little predators, for years now.

2011 167

2011 Deer Owls New York 167

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2018

Feral cats have been an issue in previous years and continue to be a problem along the length of Cable Beach that we monitor. The upcoming days and weeks are always hard on Pied Oystercatcher chicks and they mostly don’t survive due to predation. There are several birds of prey in the area including Black Kites and Brown Falcons.

2018 100

2018 Feral Cats Eggs Camels 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2011

They had to close their Poo Ponds to tourists/birders recently due to a feral dog problem, but this has been addressed and access is now possible. With all the rain we have had the birds are spread across the whole continent and Alice Springs has had some amazing records recently. Of course there are always warnings!

Feral 150

Feral Ducks Dogs Family 150

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2016

I say “luck” because there is a problem with predation by feral cats and it really is beyond their control as it were. They have not always partnered together, but the female bird appears to have a lot more luck than others. The first clutch of eggs were first observed on June 11th and were predated a few days later.

Breeding 100

Breeding Feral Cats Eggs 2000 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2011

Sadly a lot of eggs are lost to feral cats and chicks are sometimes taken by birds of prey. The first eggs are laid during the first week of July each year and if these eggs fail to hatch or the chicks are lost they will lay further eggs within a few weeks. We had one pair attempt 5 times in 2009, so they don’t give up easily!

2002 166

2002 Feral Cats Eggs 2007 166

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Australia is a vast country with a very small human population, which mostly clings to the edge of the continent. Even the first explorers to Australia documented there was a risk of extinction of birds and animals into the future and subsequently decided to collect as many specimens as possible! Preface,p.xxiv.

Species 175

Species Australia Birds Parrots 175

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2020

There is a family of feral foxes that I often encounter near Bennison Creek. Foxes were introduced to Australia in 1855 for hunting and have established themselves far and wide. Bennison Creek Bridge. White-eared Honeyeater. They usually bolt as soon as they see me, but I have been able to take a few photos of them. Tiger Snake.

Fox 154

Fox Feral Ducks Horses 154

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2018

There were only a handful of people camping at Lake Indoon on January 25th despite it being a long weekend for Australia Day. You also need to be aware of feral bees that may harm you, but of course there are ample warnings about all of the dangers in the area! Feral bees.

Kangaroos 100

Kangaroos Feral Australia 2018 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2017

Black-fronted Dotterels , Magpie-larks and Willie Wagtails ran along the muddy edges where there was evidence of feral pigs. There are some long empty roads in this part of Australia, but stopping anywhere there is water is rewarding if you are hoping to find birds!

Ducks 100

Ducks Pigs Zebras Feral 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2013

There was also evidence of the damage that feral pigs can do all along the trail and along the water’s edge and we soon came across a small group of them. No doubt the National Parks are aware of the situation, but it is also hard to deal with feral animals in remote areas. Feral pigs. Turtle shell.

Feral 148

Feral Pelicans Pigs Ducks 148

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2012

In the event I’m in a life or death struggle with an Oregon Junco or a particularly feral Dunnock I’d rather my birding companion was at least nominally on my side. Australian Magpies are found across Australia, southern New Guinea and have been introduced to New Zealand (along with just about everything else). Dum dum DUM!

New Zealand 153

New Zealand Kangaroos Australia Birds 153

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2012

They are one of the most attractive of Australia’s parrots, and one of the most common, benefiting from the planting of attractive flowering shrubs. Pairs of these a are common sight on open grassy areas in Australia. Rounding off the waterbirds were Australian Pelicans, Eurasian Coots , the iconic Black Swans and feral geese.

New Zealand 172

New Zealand Ducks Australia Japan 172

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2020

7 beats contributed their sightings from 7 countries (Hong Kong, UK, China, USA, Serbia, Australia and, of course, Costa Rica). You may notice a few non-commital “sp” entries and/or a few domestic/feral/hybrid forms. 149 checklists were submitted, accounting for 465 species.

2020 153

2020 Niger Sparrows Woodpeckers 153

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2011

Thankfully they do live for many years and the population is not in decline at present, despite the feral cats getting their eggs. We have never seen two survive and the success of even one is remote.

Feral Cats 167

Feral Cats Eggs Feral Cats 167

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2012

We were not too happy to see a feral cat in the middle of the day eyeing off the shorebirds on the edge of the lagoon. A Spotted Harrier made an appearance and the Brown Falcons that had eluded us all day were suddenly everywhere! Such are the vagaries of birding!

Feral Cats 117

Feral Cats Zebras Feral Ducks 117

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2011

We keep our observations to a minimum to avoid disturbance and usually only visit the nest site once to get GPS coordinates to report to Birds Australia’s Nest record Scheme. With the data we have collected over the years we are hoping to address the predation of eggs by feral cats in the Broome area.

Breeding 173

Breeding Feral Cats Eggs Camels 173

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2020

Incidentally, Uganda ( 510 ) leap-frogged Australia ( 475 ) to become the list’s fourth most prolific country behind Costa Rica ( 763 ), USA ( 654 ) and Brazil ( 555 ). They contributed 150 lists accounting for 1032 species and more than 36,000 individual birds. The life list was pumped a further 27 sp up to 3953.

2019 172

2019 Chile Texas Sanctuary 172

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

Also known as the Spur-winged Plover this is another common self-introduction from Australia that has done very well with the clearance of forests. Feral Turkey are also quite common. Easily separated from the New Zealand Falcon by its size and wing shape, and the fact you rarely see falcons while driving.

New Zealand 176

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 176