Butcherbird in Holder

["Jack & Andrea Holland" <>]

Thanks Geoffrey,

 

The Chapman/Rivett Grey Butcherbirds have been making a range of calls, including a very melodic one that has had me fooled a few times.  However, as far as I can tell they are not from a mimicking Satin Bowerbird, certainly within my GBS, as I usually like to sight the bird before it goes onto my chart.

 

There are SBBs in my garden at present, but generally very quiet, mainly because there is a female feeding at least one, possibly two, dependent young.  This is only the second time in my garden, and a surprise.  The previous time was when they were very common pre-fires with a bower across the fence and lots in the neighbourhood.  These days I only occasionally record them, and I know of only one bower in the neighbourhood. 

 

Lots of begging Eastern and Crimson Rosellas over the past month too, and again the calls sometimes fool me at first.

 

Jack Holland

 

From:

Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 12:39 PM

To:

Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Butcherbird in Holder

 

Yes, this is a typical mover-through.  I wonder if we can be always absolutely sure the call IS a GBbd, in view of the possibility of a mimicking bowerbird.  The call seems to invite mimicry, and I’ve got a few of the latter moving through now but revealing their presence with a typical “spk-SCHERRL-sprzzt”, with the SCHERRL being a rich throaty whistle.  I wonder if Philip has ever had SBowbds mimicking GButbds.  Perhaps not the mimicking season, though.

 

From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Friday, 10 February 2012 11:41 AM
To: 'Sue Beatty'
Cc:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Butcherbird in Holder

 

Hi Sue,

 

Have confidence. No need to doubt this. Not unusual although it was less common in past years. GBS records show them to have been increasing in Canberra over the years. The GBS Report shows this. Even to my surprise, with more recent data, BOCG V2 doesn't say anything about an increase (or change) in numbers - only the obvious, that it is less common than Magpies etc!

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Sue Beatty [
Sent: Friday, 10 February 2012 8:42 AM
To: 'COG List'
Subject: [canberrabirds] Butcherbird in Holder

Hey All,

 

A Grey? Butcherbird just passed through my GBS area! I don’t think I’ve seen one here before. I only got a quick look at it and would say it was probably an immature, but that cackly call is hard to miss. Is this unusual or are they all over the place and I just haven’t been paying attention?

 

Sue Beatty

Holder