Ritual behaviour with Currawongs?

["Philip Veerman" <>]

During the week I was walking through the park (likely the same one that Lia mentioned, as Lia lives just a few houses from me). I heard an agitated squawk from an adult Crimson Rosella and looked that way to see a tumbling flurry of 2 bird bodies as a Pied Currawong had caught a Crimson Rosella and they tumbled from about 5 metres up a tree almost to the ground and about 5 other Currawongs hurried towards the spot. It the middle of the noise the Rosella escaped. The Rosella's partner flew off with it. But as soon as the Rosella escaped the other Currawongs lost interest and travelled off in another direction. Also relevant to say in regard to Lia's message that the occupants of the house at the corner of that park regularly feed the Australian Magpies and the Australian Ravens & Pied Currawongs get included. Most afternoons there are 40 to 55 Australian Magpies in the immediate vicinity of that house as well as 10 to 20 Pied Currawongs. 

 

Philip Veerman

24 Castley Circuit

Kambah  ACT  2902

 

02 - 62314041

 

We have had similar larrikin behaviour in the playground reserve near me. The Australian Ravens and Australian Magpies were also involved. Could it be that they are vying for places, before those that don't fit have to go elsewhere for food during the colder months?

Lia

-----Original Message-----From: Geoffrey Dabb [ Sent: Saturday, 31 March 2012 5:26 PM      To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Ritual behaviour with Currawongs?

Despite the temptation of “inequitous”, Con, I shall resist the temptation to revert to the matter of horse-gates.  I agree there are currawongs and currawongs.  As an occasional (gasp) currawong feeder, I can separate our resident pair from the transient gangs of presumed young birds from the hills.

 

Curiously ’larrikin’ has  bird associations, of course.  One theory is that LARRIKIN = LARKIN’ = SKYLARKING = FROLICKING.     g

 

From: Con Boekel [ Sent: Saturday, 31 March 2012 3:32 PM      To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Ritual behaviour with Currawongs?

 

It is inequitous to call an entire species 'larrikins'. The better-behaved currawongs are larrikins. The rest are ratbags.
Con

On 31/03/2012 11:38 AM, martin butterfield wrote:

Is it possible to define an entire species as 'larrikin"?

Martin

On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 12:22 PM, Con Boekel <> wrote:

David
If I were to be anthropomorphic, I would be thinking that it is the larrikin element.
The same sort of thing is happening around Turner.
Con

On 31/03/2012 9:59 AM, David Nicholls wrote:

Winter approaching as it is, the Currawongs are getting restless.  This morning (western end of Deakin) they are particularly active and noisy.  In my immediate area there must be 50 or more, darting between trees, calling continuously, chasing each other, flying about carrying bits of twig or leaf, and chasing (and being chased by) CS cockatoos (which are otherwise feeding on the Liquidamber seeds).

Apparently pointless but presumably has some social or ritual value?  Is this behaviour explained?

DN