Behavior and Ethology Commons^™

A Closer Look At Parrots As Pests, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Small parrots have been attacking fruit and grain crops in the south of Western Australia at least since agriculture expanded into their native habitats in the early 1900s. The parrots are capable of quickly adapting to new situations so it is not surprising that they have eaten crops.

It is not known whether parrot numbers have increased since European settlement began, but this appears likely. The present landscape of islands of uncleared country interspersed with areas of agriculture appears to favour the survival of the red-capped parrot, western rosella and the Port Lincoln parrot. These species were investigated during a …

The Secretive Silvereyes, I J. Rooke

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Durinf the past five years the agricultural Protection Board, in co-operation with scientists from CSIRO's Division of Wildlife Research and the University of Western Australia, had studied the biology and control of the silvereye in the South-West of Western Asustralia. The project was partially funded by a voluntary levy on vignerons in the Margaret River and Mt Barker areas.

The first part of the study investigated the bird's bioloogy - its food requirements, reproductive rate, how it interacted with other birds and its seasonal movements, It was hoped that this knowledge would help develop effective techniques for either controlling the …

Dingoes And Sheep In Pastoral Areas, P C. Thomson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Since 1975, a long-term study of dingoes in the Fortescue River area of northern Western Australia has sought to provide the detailed information necessary to devise efficient dingo management strategies.

Dingoes have been fitted with radio-transmitter collars, then tracked and observed from a specially equipped aircraft. Their movements, breeding, hunting and social behaviour have been monitered in the rugged, spinifex-covered ironstone terrain which represents typicaldingo refuge country, and in neighbouring sheep country.

Although the pastoral and agricultural industry have long recognised the need to control dingoes to protect livestock, particularily sheep, there is little published evidence about the type of …

Preventing Vineyard Damage By Silvereyes, I J. Rooke

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In the previous article, Dr I Rooke outlined the studies which helped to devise practical ways of controlling attacks by silvereyes on vineyards in the South-West of Western Australia. The preventative methods vignerons can use are discussed here.

Keeping Starlings Out Of W.A, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In Europe and North America huge flocks of starlings cause millions of dollars worth of damage to grain and fruit crops each year and large sums of money are spent trying to control them.

Starlings were introduced into australia in the late 1890s when more than 200 birds were released near Melbourne. They are now well established over much of eastern Australia, ranging from central Queensland, south to Tasmania and along the Great Australian Bight to the South Australian-Western Australian border, occasionally crossing it and sometimes moving as far west as the Esperance region on the south coast.

Some people …

Research Objectives In Vertebrate Pest Control, A J. Oliver

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The European rabbit, introduced into Australia in 856 by an early settler for hunting, caused massive losses to agricultural production in Western Australia in 1940s and 1950s.

In those years most of the country's recources and efforts allocated to vertebrate pest problems were aimed at controlling this animal.

Research and control measures by Commonwealth and State agencies, including the introduction of myxomatosis, were largely responsible for reducing the rabbit problem to the comparatively minor one it is now.

Today, the Agricultural Protection Board is involved in the control of a much wider range of mammals and birds which cause losses …

Green Lemons Safe From Fruit Fly, A N. Sproul

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Importers' demands for fruit imports to be free of local pests places great restrictions on the movement of fruit between States, between countries, and sometimes within a State.

In Western Australia a Fresh Fruit Disinfestation Committee was formed in 1969 to direct State research aimed at developing techniques for post-harvest fruit sterilsation Programmes are supported by State and Federal funds and, in W.A., have provided staff and facilities to work on Mediterranean fruit fly. Parallel work with Queensland fruit fly and codlin moth is being done in New South Wales and Victoria.

Lupin Split Seed : A Disorder Of Seed Production In Sweet, Narrow-Leafed Lupins, M W. Perry, J. W. Gartrell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Commercial seed production from narrow-leafed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius L.) began in Western Australia in 1967, based on the newly-bred low alkaloid cultivar Uniwhite. The release of improved cultivars has led to the crop's wide acceptance and more than 100 000 ha were sown to sweet lupins in 1975.

With the greater area and wider range of soil types devoted to lupins, a developmental abnormality of the seeds, which became known as "split seed", was observed in some situations.

Bounty Systems In Vermin Control, S J O Whitehouse

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For more than 3000 years man has tried to reduce the numbers of pest animals by payment of bounties. In general, the system has failed.

This article, by a research scientist who specalizes in the study of declared (pest) animals in Western Australia reviews some of the literature about bounties and comments on the situation in Australia.

Emus On The Move : 1976, Michael T. Sexton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The greatest migration of emus in recent times came out of the ZMurchison and Gascoyne pastoral areas during the winter of 1976. The emus were driven south-westerly by an instinctive search for food.

The Agriculture Protection Board's barrier fences stoped the wave of emus on the fringes of the wheatbelt, causing a congregation estimated in mid June to total 50,000 birds.

This article reviews the reason behind the emu migration and the policies employed to deal with such a situation.

The Control Of Annual Ryegrass, Geoffrey A. Pearce, J. E. Holmes

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A valuable pasture plant - one of the worst weeds if cereal crops - host to a potent animal disease toxin.....annual ryegrass is the subject of intensive studies by the Department of Agriculture.

This article reviews current research into the control of annual ryegrass in crops.

Lot Feeding Sheep In Sheds, H E. Fels, B. Malcolm

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The need to gather and hold sheep for slaughter or live shipment led a West Australian company!, with the Department of Agriculture, to investigate the use of sheds for short term lot feeding of sheep. Preliminary examination suggested that feedlot sheds connected by a sheep footpath to the abattoirs, railway or saleyards could be cheaper as well as more practicable than continued use of holding paddocks.

The first week or two are commonly the most difficult in lot feeding sheep or cattle. Long-term indoor lot-feeding is a normal practice in some overseas countries but we did not know whether untrained …

Effect On Bees Of Insecticides Used On Rape, A C. Kessell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Rapeseed could provide beekeepers in Western Australia with a valuable new honey crop—hut insecticidal spraying of rape at flowering time is a potentially serious threat to most commercial beekeepers.

There are indications that insect pollination may improve rapeseed yields, so both growers and beekeepers could gain from a co-operative approach to the problem. Spraying after sundown and preventing spray drift to nearby apiaries should avoid most losses.

Annual Pasture And Weed Plant Ecology, B J. Quinlivan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The purpose of this article is to outline a few basic principles of pasture and weed ecology with particular reference to seed dormancy mechanisms.

These principles apply to many pasture plants and weeds, although their relative importance varies with the particular plants under study.

Linseed Within The Clover Ley Farming System, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

LINSEED was one of the first crops to be widely used as an alternative to cereals in the over-17 inch rainfall areas. It is now an established crop with a total 1969 production worth just under half a million dollars.

Linseed is currently worth nearly twice as much as wheat per bushel, wih its short term prospects still attractive.

Grain Aeration On The Farm, G D. Rimes

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ALTHOUGH grain aeration is a well known and widespread technique employed to prevent insect development in stored grain, the installations are invariably designed for large scale grain handling authorities.

Experimental work carried out in Western Australia over the last four storage seasons has shown that simple unsophisticated equipment can be of direct use in farm storage.

Progress In Research On Noxious Weeds, Geoffrey A. Pearce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

RESEARCH on noxious weeds has enabled the development of many practical methods for the control of these weeds.

Where the recommended treatments have been accepted by farmers, large scale operations have reduced the areas infested and stopped spread into new paddocks.

Establishing Pastures Under Wheat Crops, M L. Poole, J. W. Gartrell, D. A. N. Nicholas

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

RECENT surveys indicate that in the medium and high rainfall cereal and sheep areas as much as half the new pasture sown is sown with a crop.

In the drier wheatbelt areas the figure is 20 to 30 per cent.

Look After The Tail Enders, B R. Beetson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN Department of Agriculture drought feeding trials last summer, shy feeders lost weight and died while the bigger sheep grew fat. When drafted off and fed separately the shy feeders ate their share and survived the summer.

Dormancy And Life Span Of Saffron Thistle Seeds, B J. Quinlivan, J. R. Pierce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

RESEARCH in the Geraldton area has indicated that seeds of the saffron thistle (Carthamus lanatus) spread their germination over some seven years but most germinate in the first two years.

Factors influencing the rate of germination and the survival of seeds are the depth of burial and the presence of termites in the soil.

Nitrogen Fertiliser Survey, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE DECEMBER, 1968 issue of the "Journal of Agriculture" included, as part of an article on the economics of nitrogen fertiliser use, a lift-out section for farmers to complete and return to the Journal.

In the lift-out, farmers were asked to calculate their fertiliser costs and answer a series of questions about the use of nitrogen on their farms.

Paspalum Vaginatum : For Salty Seepages And Lawns, C V. Malcolm, I. A. F. Laing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PASPALUM VAGINATUM, aptly termed "sea shore paspalum" has an amazing ability to thrive in wet salty situations. It is also a good lawn grass.

Seed of the grass is not available but it may easily be established by planting pieces.

This article reviews where and how the grass may be used.

The Red-Whiskered Bulbul, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Widely distributed in both Africa and Asia, Bulbuls are a largely tropical group of fruit eating birds ranging in size from that of a house sparrow to a blackbird.

West Midlands Development : Pastures For Sandplain Soils, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TRIALS at the Badgingarra Research Station have indicated that many pasture species will grow in the West Midlands area.

Choice of the species most suited to any particular locality will be influenced by soil type, rainfall, grazing characteristics and possible ill-effects on stock.

The following species have been recommended.

The Indian Mynah, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE Common or Indian Mynah (Acridotheres tristis) inhabits Afghanistan, Baluchistan, southern Russian Turkestan, India, Ceylon and the Andaman Islands.

Grasshoppers And Locusts In Western Australia, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

GRASSHOPPERS and locusts are among the most ancient enemies of the farmer, for they figured prominently in Biblical times, and periodically throughout the ages have devastated crops in all parts of the world.

Cockroaches And Their Control, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SEVERAL species of cockroaches are general household pests.

In this country some of the native varieties have become semi-domesticated and, in addition, two or three introduced forms are quite common.

The Indian Crow, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE Indian crow occasionally reaches the shores of Australia from southern Asia via ships travelling between Indian and Australian ports.

New Phytotron Widens Scope For Research, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A WIDE range of new experiments and greater speed and efficiency in many existing projects has been made possible by the recent completion of the Department of Agriculture phytotron at South Perth.

What Are Vermin?, A R. Tomlinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ACCORDING to one dictionary the term 'vermin'includes "mammals and birds injurious to game or crops", "rats and mice", "noxious insects", "parasitic worms" and even "vile persons."