BIRDS INTRODUCED TO AUSTRALIA 
BIRDS INTRODUCED AND ESTABLISHED IN AUSTRALIA 
1. Indian Turtle-dove Streptopelia suratensis Gmelin 
Distribution. — Afghanistan, India, and Ceylon. 
Description. — Head, grey ; back and wings, brown ; hind-neck and 
sides of neck, black with white spots ; tail-feathers, blackish, all but the 
centre pair tipped with white ; throat, whitish ; remainder of under-parts, 
cinnamon. Length about 13 inches. 
Notes. — Also called Spotted Dove. A common bird in parks and 
gardens of cities and suburbs of the coastal areas, and is gradually extend- 
ing its range inland. It is a destructive bird in gardens. Food : seeds, 
buds, and young shoots of plants. 
2. Red-whiskered Bulbul Otocompsa emeria Linnaeus 
Distribution. — India, China, Malay Peninsula, and the Mauritius. 
Description. — Forehead, crown of head and crest, front of cheeks 
and bill, black; patch behind the eye, pale crimson; back, wings, and tail, 
brown; cheeks and underparts, white, with an incomplete black band 
on the chest, and washed with pale brown on the sides of neck, and 
abdomen; under tail-coverts, pinkish-red. Length about 7 inches. 
Notes. — Also called Red-vented Bulbul and Top-knot. This serious 
pest is unfortunately becoming very common in parks, gardens, and 
orchards of Sydney and suburbs, and is gradually establishing itself in 
Melbourne. Food : insects and their larvae, seeds, fruits, and the buds 
and young shoots of plants. 
3. Black-bird Turdus merula Linnaeus 
Distribution. — Europe, northern Africa, Egypt, Syria, Persia, and 
the Azores. 
Description. — Adult male: uniform glossy black; bill, orange-yellow. 
Female: dark brown above; under-parts, rufous-brown streaked with 
blackish-brown ; bill, brown. Length about 10 inches. 
Notes. — This beautiful songster is extremely common in the parks, 
gardens, and surrounding districts of Melbourne and Adelaide. It is 
gradually extending its range northwards and inland. Food : insects and 
their larvae, snails, and fruits. Occasionally destructive in gardens. 
4. Song-thrush Turdus philomelos Brehm 
Distribution. — Europe, western Asia, and India. 
