The Koel again

["martin butterfield" <>]

Good morning Lindell

Reading HANZAB suggests it is a male bird less than one year old.  The amount of mottled feathers varies between birds.  

None of the 4 Field Guides I have referred to mention, let alone illustrate, this plumage.  The National Photographic Index describes immature males' plumage as "often peculiar" and notes (but doesn't illustrate) some variations including this one.

Martin

On Sun, Dec 28, 2008 at 10:35 PM, Lindell <> wrote:

 

Evening All,

Last Friday morning I managed to track down this relatively local Koel (being a different one from my local Griffith koel) in Furneux St, Manuka, and I had thought that the male was plain black in colour. This one had mottled black and cream feathers on his under side. Is there a reason for this? He was very vocal and being watched closely by a couple of RWB's.

 

Lindell

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