Kookaburra, extinct??

[kali]

Kookaburra and other birds face threat - Yahoo!7 News

Kookaburra and other birds face threat
By Jon Pierik, AAP
October 25, 2009, 3:25 pm

The kookaburra sits in the old gum tree ... or so the song goes.

But with research showing more than 80 species of birds are in decline in Victoria, environmental groups are beginning to wonder just how long the kookaburra will be around.

As the not-for-profit Gould League celebrated its centenary in Melbourne on Sunday, executive officer David Walker said the time for serious thought about the Australian environment had arrived.

"Generally speaking across Australia, mammals, birds, reptiles, they're all struggling. You actually wonder where it's going to end," Mr Walker told AAP on Sunday.

"The woodland birds in Victoria are under severe threat, even the kookaburra.

"The wattle birds, the red-capped robin - birds we thought were pretty common are now facing serious decline."

Mr Walker said there were several reasons for the serious plight of birds.

"Clearing of habitat, predators, feral animals, land clearing and, of course, drought and climate change are having a big impact," he said.

"There is more and more evidence coming out that the lack of rain across southern Australia is related to higher temperatures."

More than 150 Gould League members and young children turned up to the centenary celebrations, declaring more needed to be done to preserve habitats.

In a sign of their passion for their cause, 99-year-old Glen Gardiner, a league member since the age of eight, made the trek all the way from Newcastle.

"It's really amazing to see these members rush up and put their arms around one another," Mr Walker said.

"They have a terrific history together."

While passionate about the environment, members realise that finding the right balance between mining resources and preserving wildlife isn't always easy, particularly as Australia's population continues to grow.

"We have got to make the best of the situation so we can encourage people to provide the best habitats in their backyards in urban areas and also to land owners on farms so we can get the best outcomes," Mr Walker said.

"At the same time, we have to feed the expanding world population, so Australian farmers are getting it from both sides."

Mr Walker says education, particularly of the young, is the key.

The Gould League's enduring series of books - Sketches of Australian Birds and The Bird Lover - continue to play a major role in this respect.

Mr Walker said the books were as popular with primary school children today as they were when first printed in 1939.

But while the books are a valuable tool, Mr Walker has called on the Federal government to do more.

"The federal government is not working very much for the environment," he said.

"A computer for every kid at school is a very good thing, but environmental education is also a pretty important part of our future as well."

The Gould League was established in 1909 to raise awareness of the environment, in particular to discourage young boys from climbing trees and robbing birds' nests of eggs.

"The Gould League addressed that problem by introducing a pledge - kids would sign off by saying they wouldn't take the eggs," Mr Walker said.

"That was a statement I think we need to probably get back to doing.

"We are blessed with a unique ecosystem in Australia, but its fragile nature means we must all do more to insist that more is done to arrest the decline."

[kali]

Kinda sad... We get so many lorikeets, indian mynahs, ravens, pigeons and crested doves. You forget that there's a whole host of birds out there that aren't comfortable living in an urban environment..

[Muchi]

Hmn, guess I'm lucky. Kookaburras assist Luen in 'gently waking me' each morning with a chorus of laughter and squawking.
I wonder how the kookaburras in Mallacoota are doing - I lived there as a kid... there were kookaburras everywhere and we used to feed them mince-meat... They didn't mind people.
I don't think people realise how much of an impact we have on native birds... but it's not ALL bad. Galahs for one have benefited from us setting up shop down here :}
Weird thinking of kookaburras as endangered, considering how common they seem to be here.

[Jess89]

we have heaps of kookaburras around here.. infact Jasper is starting to make a sound that sounds like one lol..

[Rahni]

I truly think the single biggest thing that can be done to help native animals is to try and stop them being taken by foxes, cats, rats etc, and to remove feral species that can out-compete natives (eg sparrows, turtle-doves etc).
The government really doesn't seem to want to do anything about them, and when they do they use something detrimental like bait, which kills much more then whatever they are targeting.
I think they should have a 'bounty' on feral species. Imagine how many less starlings there would be if they offered 50c per starling? or $5 per fox tail? Being hunted is surely a kinder death then dying in agony over several days from poison.

[rewki]

Hello there Australians, I do hope that the Kookaburra does not become extinct. I am not personnally familiar with the bird and the only real"Kookaburra" I've ever met is a delicious treat from Australia called "Kookaburra" it is black/red licorice covered in chocolate. Perhaps the company would consider donating a portion of its profits to the preservation of a bird whose name and photo represents their candy? Worth checking it out. Perhaps they would underwrite a preservation area for them, where they would be safe and muliply themselves off of the endangered list?
Just a thought to my friends down under.
Rebecca in Israel

BTW we also have a unique ecosystem.

[Greycloud]

You guys are all so lucky to have such exotic native birds! I would love to live where these birds visited everyday. I think I would have to catch an Indian Mynah though for a pet. Tee hee!

[Jess89]

erk why would you want an indian myner, they are pests!

[kali]

They are great talkers apparently, and kinda cute!

[Ashling]

Originally Posted by Greycloud

You guys are all so lucky to have such exotic native birds! I would love to live where these birds visited everyday. I think I would have to catch an Indian Mynah though for a pet. Tee hee!

I considered that, when we had them nesting in our roof. They collect garbage and line the nest- and surrounding area (my dogs resting area)- with litter. They are very intelligent, and can learn to mimick s could make great pets! Same with starlings. I just couldn't be bothered with treating for lice and worrying about what other diseases the dirty little things might have!