G'day all,
Pheasant Coucals are generally regarded to only nest on the ground.
Several years ago the territory of the Pheasant Coucal extended to
Mount Isa.
(None were recorded within 100km at the first Atlas)
However, a friend has had a pair breed several times 10 foot off the
ground in a tree at his nearby home (which backs onto a heavily
grassed section of the Leichhardt River)
Each morning the female would turn up with a Gilbert's Dragon (?) ..
the locals call them a Ta Ta lizard because of its habit of waving
with one hand.
The tree itself is a River Red Gum but the vine is an exotic called
Veronica Elliptica (or something like that)
The nest has two entrances through the foliage.
One year they bred in his neighbours Date Tree
I have had one roost for a few days in my garden Fig tree after a fire
burnt out some nearby grasses along the Leichhardt River where a pair
lived. These did nest on the ground.
I can email photos to anyone interested.
Regards
Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW Qld.
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