On Long Bill Corellas Poem by Francis Duggan

Compared to most their range is a small range Though within their range in numbers they abound
Slightly red under throat their white breast feathers soiled from digging up bulbs from the ground
They are known as long bill corellas they nest high in hole in a tall tree
In paddocks in South Western Victoria in large flocks one often them does see
Members of the cockatoo family large Australian parrots in large noisy flocks they congregate
With one hundred plus of them squawking together a lot of noise they always do create
Under Australian Wildlife Laws all parrots are protected to harm them is a serious crime
Those guilty of such an offence in big trouble at least do face a few years of prison time
In climate change long bill corellas are known not to fare that well at all
In the long dry Summers some of the young and the ageing struggle to find food and do not make it to the Fall
Of Humankind they always are quite wary when you approach them to the trees they fly
And squawking together they do make quite a racket they do have such a harsh and grating cry
In my many walks I do see them digging with their long downcurved beaks in the ground
Compared to most birds their range is a small range though in large flocks in numbers they abound.