birding-aus

Eastern Spinebill and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

To: Jim Davis <>,
Subject: Eastern Spinebill and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
From: Brian Fleming <>
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 17:00:57 +1100
Jim Davis wrote:
> 
> Brian wrote:
> 
> > Ours does his/hers whisting kettle act in the fuchsia just outside
> the
> > window near the computer - when he's not imitating a hummingbird!
> I've
> > been know to keep the camera handy.
> 
> Please elaborate on this "whistling kettle act"  observation.  Are the
> wings
> making the noise?  It sounds fascinating (no pun intended).   I have
> not
> been privilege to witness what you have described.
> 
> Cheers, Jim
> 
> Dr Wm. James Davis, Editor
> Interpretive Birding Bulletin
> www.ibirding.com
> 
> When it comes to watching behaviour there is much to observe and
> interpret,
> even among the common birds.
Hullo Jim, 
I don't think Brian explained this whistling kettle act very well. We
mean a distinctive call in which the bird starts off with a thin high
piping becoming higher, rising continuously up the scale, and more
insistent - sounds very like a whistling kettle, complete with a few
bubbly notes as if kettle's getting over-excited and starting to spit a
bit! 
The wingnoise I have sometimes heard is a sort of snap or crack -perhaps
between flight and hover when 'changing gear - or perhaps it's a display
activity?
Our Spinebills definitely had a group of young ones with them a few
weeks ago - at least two, maybe three plus the old birds. Fuchsia quite
crowded for a while.
Anthea Fleming

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