Silence of the Cockatoos

[Syd Curtis <>]

>
Jim Smart,  Thu, 08 Jul 2004, wrote:
> Meanwhile back to birding. A flock of sulfur-crested cockatoos flew silently over our house last week. Does anyone know why sometimes they are raucous and at other times silent? 
I can give a specific example where the reason for their silence was known.    As no doubt  many Queensland subscribers to birding-aus already know, Arthur Thorsborne (sadly deceased) was an  important north Qld nature conservationist.  His wife Margaret still is.  They lived on a property near Cardwell and donated most of it for addition to the adjoining Edmund Kennedy National Park.

They had a couple of large Guava trees near their home which fruited abundantly.  The local sulfur-crested cockatoos were very fond of guavas.  So was Arthur.   He wouldn't have dreamed of hurting the birds but he did chase them away from his guavas.  So instead of arriving with raucous cries, or even posting the usual sentry ("cockatoo") to keep up soft reassuring "All's well" calls, those sagacious birds would glide in on silent wings with never a sound to give away their presence, apart from the occasional 'plop' of a falling guava hitting the ground.

Cheers

Syd