A new bird call for me

["Philip Veerman" <>]

I am surprised (impressed) that Anthony could come up with an answer from that and that David would say it is. Even though I am borderline willing to believe on that basis that the call he heard was the call of a Brush Cuckoo, I have my doubt that it would be a Brush Cuckoo making the call. This is on the basis of being not seen and given the high level of unusualness - for reasons that Anthony says and I fully agree with. So I would suggest that a possible Brush Cuckoo call heard is possibly not made by a Brush Cuckoo.

 

At this time of year I suggest it is equally, more or even highly likely to have simply been mimicry done by a Satin Bowerbird or even an Olive-backed Oriole, both of which are potentially in the area, familiar with and perfectly capable of doing such mimicry. Of course I know nothing other than this written conversation but I would suggest the evidence is somewhat insufficient to put a Brush Cuckoo on the record (especially as David did not identify it as such by himself, which suggests no great familiarity and therefore could be mistaken). 

 

Philip

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Overs [
Sent: Friday, 21 May 2010 11:42 AM
To: David Nicholls
Cc: canberra birds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] A new bird call for me

David (and others
that may be interested!), anyone can submit a record for the database.

There is a convenient online method of submitting records, however
you'll need a login from the database manager (Paul Fennell - 

There are
some details about how to record birds and submit records here: http://canberrabirds.org.au/Recording%20Birds/RecordingBirds.htm

A
link to an incidental record form is here: http://canberrabirds.org.au/Forms/COG_Incidental_Record_form.pdf
Post
your records to the COG Records Officer, PO Box 301, Civic Square ACT
2608.

Cheers
Anthony

On 21 May 2010 11:33, David Nicholls <> wrote:

Thanks, Anthony.  It's definitely the first time I've noticed the call (and I have lived here since 1985), so it was clear to me it was a bit unusual.

As I'm not a COG member, just a list lurker, I don't know how to add it to the database.  Is it accessible from the COG website?

DN

Anthony Overs wrote:

David, it's an interesting record for a couple of reasons. The species is a migrant and is not really a bird that over winters, particularly to the extent of the fan-tailed cuckoo. From my recollection and experience, the species is rarely seen or heard in the suburbs, and it is also not really that vocal outside the breeding season. Great record and worthy of inclusion in the COG database.

Anthony

On 21 May 2010 11:13, David Nicholls < <>> wrote:

   Thanks, Anthony, that's *exactly* what it was.  And a new one for my
   (somewhat sporadic) listing of local birds.

   DN

   Anthony Overs wrote:

       David, might be a Brush Cuckoo. Try
       http://birdsinbackyards.net/images/audio/cacomantis-variolosus.mp3

       Anthony

       On 21 May 2010 10:15, David Nicholls <

       <> <mailto:m("dcnicholls.com","dcn");" target=_blank>

       <>>> wrote:

          Somewhere (invisible) in a street tree outside my house in
       Deakin,
          there was a new call which I didn't recognise this morning.
        Not a
          parrot of any sort or a Mynah (all of which are pretty
       inventive).

          It came in bouts of three calls qwith several second pause in
          between: "tee-err tee-er tee-err" as a descending whistle.
        It went
          on for several minutes at least.

          Is that sufficient to identify it?

          Thanks

          DN