About four years ago I counted up to 22
Crested Pigeons in the playground adjacent to our home. I haven’t seen
anything like that number in more recent times. If the Pied Currawongs don’t
get them as babies, the cats will get them soon afterwards.
Lia
From:
Barbara Preston [
Sent: Saturday, 30 October 2010
1:29 PM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds]
Crested Pigeons' nest
Around 2003 to 2005 a pair of CPs nested more or less
continuously in the same nest in the leggy hakea a couple of metres from
my first floor office window. So I was able to observe the process, which I
called the 'currawong food factory': so often the pair of offspring was reduced
to one, then none, and our resident currawongs had well fed youngsters - esp
around spring (I have a note of a well-feathered fledgling left well gnawed
under the currawong's nest in early October 2005). I estimated at least
ten breedings over the period (according to my 2005 notes), and there were
certainly some through the cold months, but I did not keep a comprehensive
record ....
Following is a note sent to the COG line in March 2007
when CPs were nesting in another shrub in our garden:
On Tuesday the two young CPs and their parents were happily
in large shrubs about 10 metres from the nest, and I had good views of feeding
and preening from my office window. However, on Wednesday there was only one
young CP, and a few feathers around (may be from something else). The remaining
young is still being fed, and has not moved far (that I'm aware of). The young
currawong has not been around for about a week now, but the two parents were stalking
the CPs like wolves for a good hour yesterday. The two parent CPs were perched
on either side of their offspring, very close, and softly cooing - they seemed
quite fearful. The currwongs moved up and down branches on either side of the
CPs, constantly glaring at them, making the odd flap, but not getting closer
than about 2 metres. Eventually the currawongs seemed to have got sick of their
game, and flew off. They have been back, but I have not noticed any such
blatant stalking behaviour since. At the moment (5.00 pm Friday) the young CP
is in the same spot as usual, with no parent CPs or currawongs about. . . .
Sent: Saturday,
October 30, 2010 12:02 PM
Subject: RE:
[canberrabirds] Crested Pigeons' nest
Perhaps we can add especially after rain.
Also Canberra’s
cold weather doesn’t seem to stem their desire to procreate. Often hear
what we assume to be their mating calls through the depths of a winter fog
adding an ethereal quality to the misty morn.
JKL
From:
Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Saturday, 30 October 2010
11:18 AM
To: 'John Layton'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds]
Crested Pigeons' nest
Yes, they seem to breed
at any time of year. g
