Grey Butcherbird, Ainslie

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Strangely (I don't know why) it is not as suburban adapted in Canberra as in many other cities. The GBS Report discusses this. I don't know why this is, my only suggestion is that the Pied Currawong is so well established here and they would compete for food but that is just a guess.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Susanne Gardiner [
Sent: Friday, 11 October 2013 12:58 AM
To: Philip Veerman; 'canberra birds'
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Grey Butcherbird, Ainslie

I was just surprised, because this is only the 2nd time I've seen a Butcherbird in Canberra and the first in this area. Have seen plenty in NSW and heard many more. 

This one did the 4-note call of a Rosella, just with so much more timbre. 

Susanne

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From: Philip Veerman <>
To: 'Susanne Gardiner' <>; 'canberra birds' <>
Sent: Thursday, 10 October 2013 11:27 PM
Subject: [canberrabirds] Grey Butcherbird, Ainslie

Grey Butcherbirds are a regular in Canberra suburbs and bushland, so if you believe it was you are likely to be right. Rather than go on colour pattern, that varies a lot in age / sex, the species is easy to pick by its shape (or call). The big head and big hooked beak are distinctive, with nothing similar (apart from the rare possibility of a Pied Butcherbird) coincidentally reported yesterday from "off Barry Drive, where the cherry van stops".  

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Susanne Gardiner [
Sent: Thursday, 10 October 2013 6:44 PM
To: canberra birds
Subject: [canberrabirds] Grey Butcherbird, Ainslie

Hi All

after careful deliberation (and trawling lots of photos on google) I believe I just had an immature Grey Butcherbird on the back fence phone lines in North Ainslie. 

It was quite brown on the back and the tail, did not have a bib, not even a light grey one, but did have the white collar. The crown was rather dark. The rest dirty beige, and a bit mottled on the breast. 

It was harangued by a Crimson Rosella and 3 Red Wattlebirds, so didn't stay long and I only have one blurred photo and one of it's back. 

Susanne