Jack – I’m not sure that this is what you were commenting on, but we’ve had 35-45 currawongs around and calling various different calls (nothing unusual) for much of the time for four weeks, mostly in the adjacent golf course but also our place and across the road. The interesting thing is that at the complex the normally resident starlings have completely disappeared in that time. And the pair of mynas. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t see a starling on the antennae, and I assume it’s the currawongs that have achieved this feat.
In fact there are even fewer species than normal other than the ‘wongs. Almost a bird desert apart from overflyers and brief visitors. Even a large group of 14 Red Wattlebirds was harassed out of their tree the other day.
From: Jack & Andrea Holland [
Sent: Tuesday, 31 July 2012 20:30
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Pied Currawong behaviour
has changed very much over the past couple of days in NW Chapman and over into Rivett.
After being relatively currawong free for the winter there’s suddenly at least 10 very noisy birds flying around pretty aimlessly. Most noticeable is that they have started before 6 am for the past 2 mornings, with also some calling heard during the night.
It’s not the whining call I associate with flocks milling around trees, but the call they more often give in flight.
Has there been similar behaviour in other suburbs? Does anyone have a theory about why they might suddenly be behaving like this?
