Butcherbird Research Articles

MOTH SPECIES EATEN BY PIED BUTCHER BIRDS

AbstractOne hundred and seventeen taxa belonging to 13 families were offered as prey to pied butcher birds, Cracticus nigrogularis (Gould) in the field. Seventy‐three species were always accepted, 34 species were sometimes accepted and a further 10 species were never eaten, although some were attacked occasionally.

Poets to the People: South African Freedom Poems

Poets to the People: South African Freedom Poems Poets to the People: South African Freedom Poems, edited by Barry Feinberg. Heinemann Educational Books, 1981. l94pp. £1.70. Time of the Butcher Bird, by Alex La Guma. Heinemann Educational Books, 1981. £0.95. Wirriyamu, by Williams Sassine. Heinemann Educational Books, 1981. l48pp. £1.70. HUGH DINWIDDY HUGH DINWIDDY Craigweil, West Sussex Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar African Affairs, Volume 81, Issue 322, January 1982, Pages 146–150, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a097399 Published: 01 January 1982

Possible Anting by the Black-backed Butcherbird

Possible Anting by the Black-backed Butcherbird

‘Attack’ by Butcher-bird

‘Attack’ by Butcher-bird

Birds and Butterflies

IN reference to the palatability of butterflies, it may be interesting to record that the Australian grey butcher bird, Cracticus torquatus, does not object to eating butterflies. A tame bird which I have had under observation, though pinioned, manages to catch skippers of the species Anasynta sphenosena, when these are flying round flowers within reach. I have also seen the bird catch the same species in the early morning before the butterflies have become active. The butterflies are seized with the bill, beaten once or twice against the ground or against some hard object, and then swallowed whole. The fact that on one occasion the bird caught and ate a skipper soon after it had been fed with its customary ration of raw meat indicates that it was not hunger that persuaded the bird to take the butterfly.

Figs Eaten by Butcher-Bird

Figs Eaten by Butcher-Bird