Fascinating. I must tread carefully here, because I
could be on completely the wrong track. I had assumed, without verifying
it, that the regular early morning call in the breeding season, that I would
render 'whit-hoyeeee', was by the Pied Currawong, a pair of which nest on the
nature strip. This call is given in succession, monotonously, for a minute
or so.
There is no reference to this call in Pizzey (it is not
the 'long wolf-whistle "weeeoooo"') nor, I think, the same call
rendered by Slater as 'whistling "oo-ooooo" like disapproving
schoolgirl').
HANZAB devotes 17 column-cms to the call of the PC
but only 5 to the 'song'. Tony Howard is cited on the song, but the reference does
not appear in the notes. It is stated 'does not sound like other
vocalisations of this species and may not be recognised as given by
currawongs'. The following (Tony cited) seems relevant: 'Near
Sydney, at c.04:45 in early Oct., a song rendered kwee, kooweee (with
the koo very short) uttered at regular intervals in a long sequence.’
Here’s a nice touch: HANZAB says “Usually
uttered at first light or earlier (of six occurrences, three started during
nautical twilight and two during astronomical twilight) ...” Get
those chronometers synchronised out there!
I didn’t realise it was so little known. If
it’s still going on, I might try to get a recording of it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ann Howarth [
Sent: Wednesday, 10 October 2007 9:08 AM
To: John Leonard; Canberra Birds
Subject: early morning biurd call
I have been hearing a similar early morning call between
4 and 4.30 am here
in Isaacs in recent days. After a few minutes it
has been replaced by the
more familiar 'whistle' call of the pied currawong.
I had wondered whether
it was just an early morning 'warm-up' call or whether it
was perhaps a
young currawong.
Ann Howarth
