Currawong chick flying ability

[Martin Butterfield <>]

As usual a pair of Pied Currawongs have nested in the big Yellow Box in our lawn.  As usual this has made it a challenge for me to walk in the vicinity of our house without getting my head brushed by a swooping parent.  However the chicks fledged last evening so I will soon be able to reclaim the garden.  

It was interesting to watch one of the chicks build up to and perform its first flight.  Initially it had climbed out of the nest - about 20m above the lawn - on to a thin twig where it held its balance- just.  Frequent offerings of guano suggested it felt as nervous as I would in the circumstances.  After about 20 minutes it started flapping its wings and eventually flew about 3m to another twig at the same level.  More guano.

It then became a little overconfident and half flew, half fell to a branch about 5m lower.  As the parents were not responding to demands for skinks to be stuffed into the vacuum now present south of its gizzard it took off again it a similar style.  This time it flew beak first into a vertical branch and failed to grasp it, falling a further 10m to a horizontal branch which it grasped and sat on calling for food - the vacuum having been further enhanced in the last descent.  When darkness fell an hour later it was still sitting in the same position and supplies were now being delivered.

Martin

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Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/