Oh thanks for that. I didn’t actually know that. So I believe I arrived at the thought spontaneously.
From: Hawkins, Brian [
Sent: Monday, 5 December, 2016 3:21 PM
To: 'Philip Veerman'; 'Virginia Abernathy';
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Still at JWNR [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
The association of Koels with settlement seems to be a widespread phenomenon.
In the Bellinger/Dorrigo area of northern NSW, where there are large tracts of rainforest packed with figs and other good sources of Koel food, Koels are common in and near towns
and farmland, but otherwise surprisingly rare.
Brian
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Monday, 5 December 2016 1:23 PM
To: 'Virginia Abernathy';
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Still at JWNR
Interesting comment. When I typed The GBS Report, most of the text was pretty straight provision of data. At some times I added just what I thought was some helpful descriptive
text and at some times bordering on conjecture. Maybe these days most people don’t seek them out rather they wish they would go away...... Although I did not directly predict an ongoing increase. At that time the Koel was only just beginning its rapid rise
in presence here. But it is nice to see what Virginia wrote and how close it was to my observation 14 years ago about the Koel’s tendency to occur (almost) only in suburban habitat. Also as noted before the word “yet” at the end, indicating I was confident
before it happened, that local breeding would happen. As noted before with more recent data: “Birds of Canberra gardens V2” did not bother to add anything useful - even if you can find out where to find it in the book (hint “E”). Although “Birds of Canberra
gardens V1” did adopt my text about the fruit. To find that the hint is “C”.
Common Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
This cuckoo has arrived here increasingly in recent years, 48 of the 71 records were in Years 18 to 21, including many with repeat observations and some of two birds. Records are overstated a bit as one noisy male can be widely recorded.
Their call is loud, far-carrying and distinctive and observers seek them out when told they have been noted nearby, so many observations are from the bird heard calling. Maller & Jones (2001) in Brisbane found a temporal pattern to their calling which will
impact on recording rate. Seasonal pattern is very clear, arrive in October, build to a December peak then decline, last observed in February.
They seem to inhabit only the suburbs locally and are the only species recorded in the GBS not to be recorded in bush areas around Canberra (except twice,
COG Atlas & 1999-2000 ABR). They are probably attracted by fruit, that is not available in woodlands. No breeding records -
yet.
Graphs on page: 95, Rank: 104, A = 0.00298, F = 6.12%, W = 3.6, R = 0.279%, G = 1.07.
From: Virginia Abernathy
Sent: Monday, 5 December, 2016 11:25 AM
To: Geoffrey Dabb;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Still at JWNR
Hi Geoffrey,
Yes I'm still following all the koel posts out of my own interest. I am unaware of any koels being sighted before at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands, or at any nature reserve for that matter. So that's
pretty exciting that you are hearing them there. It seems like they are becoming more and more common each year and maybe are now expanding into the reserves. It will be interesting to know when/if they ever start breeding in the botanic gardens as there are
so many wattlebirds breeding there.
Cheers,
Virginia
