Re the below, I spoke to Tony at
the parrot talk at NLA today. He was the voice editor for that entry in
HANZAB. It seems that little more has been published, or indeed is known,
about the territorial song of the Pied Currawong. Incidentally the
form of citation eg ‘(T. Howard)’, unreferenced, under the HANZAB
convention indicates an unpublished personal observation.
On the parrot talk, I am not
sure whether it was cheering or depressing to learn that there are probably a
lot more extant Night Parrots than Golden-shouldered Parrots.
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Wednesday, 10 October 2007 10:27 AM
To: 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] early morning bird call
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has been replaced by the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
