Jack - I think the annual
15 min/200 birds phenomenon still occurs in some localities. They seem to
me to be opportunistic roosters (no political implication intended).
Their preferred roosts are in tall eucs, either street trees or in reserves.
Rather than concentrate, they seem to maintain cohesion by their ability to communicate
at long range. If anyone knows of any, I would be interested in any
studies of this subject, namely (forgive the alliteration) ‘Communication
and cooperation in currawong communities’. g
From: Jack and Andrea Holland
[
Sent: Friday, 14 March 2008 5:23 PM
To: Geoffrey Dabb;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Currawong Highway
Geoffrey,
very interesting, do you know where they roost?
The
reason I ask is that Pied Currawongs used to pass over my place in
Chapman during the mid autumn to early spring period in large
numbers, sometimes up to 200 birds and often over a short say 15 minute
period. They used to fly W very noisily towards Woden/Mt Taylor in the
morning shortly after or even before sunrise, and return late afternoon,
usually a bit more strung out. One time I checked and found them coming
out of the former pine forest at Narrabundah Hill as it was only just
getting light.
Since
the fires in January 2003 this phenomenon seems to have completely gone, indeed
it had already diminished significantly for a few years before that when
they seemed to take a more northerly path through Rivett.
The
very noticeable roost flight of the Australian King Parrot to the same pine
forest/Mt Stromlo, particularly in winter, also no longer occurs.
-----
Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, March 14,
2008 9:24 AM
Subject: [canberrabirds] Currawong
Highway
To me one of the most obvious migrations, if we’re
going to use that _expression_, is of the currawongs. Perhaps I just live
on the Currawong Great Trunk Road. Over the last few days the racket from
the arrivers/transients has been deafening at the peak voice times, 0630-0730
and 1700-1830 EADST. It is beyond me to describe the variety of sounds
that they use. Basically, there is the currawong anthem that varies from
the full ‘Currawongs, Currawongs, Forever!’ down to a tentative
‘curra’ from the odd bird (probably a footballer) that can’t
remember all the words. Then there is the Slow Whistle, which ranges from
a conversational nasal ‘whay’ up to the full mournful
‘whay-er-roo-er’. One bird has been provoked into joining in
with the monotonous ‘what no beer’ call more usually heard early on
Spring mornings. As that sound is very localised, apparently from the one
tree, I think it is probably a local resident sending some kind of message to
the arrivers/transients.
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