When the koels in a ‘frozen stand-off’ are not distrurbed, it can end in violence – see
https://www.hbw.com/ibc/1333877. (I sent this link through to COG about 12 months ago but thought it was relevant Geoffrey’s observation).
Steve
From: Geoffrey
Dabb [
Sent: Tuesday, 30 January 2018 4:55 PM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] Patio poser explained
Thank you for all those suggestions. I do wish Sz had stayed with ‘pelargonium’ rather than switching, accurately but less colourfully, to a bird’s eye, and a couple of you were just a little astray with the
primary bird ID.
This morning there was another example of that remarkable koel behaviour that might be described as a ‘frozen stand-off’ or a ‘prolonged stationary confrontation’. The site for this was the neighbour’s cactus
display, 3m from the back door. Both aggressors were immobile for perhaps 15 minutes, and only moved when I approached to closer than 5 metres, whereon the older bird (ie not the obvious sub-adult) took flight, leaving the younger to assume possession of
the pergola and begin (or resume) feeding on the grape crop. (The crop is also being worked on by currawongs and bowerbirds). Although the confrontation might be interpreted as a contest for food, it is more likely a sign of the tension generated by at least
one female in the area (also feeding on the grapes) and hence as ‘breeding behaviour’. The unusual thing about this little tableau was that the birds might have been taken for objets placed by someone with an unusual taste in garden decorations.
[photo removed]
From: Geoffrey
Dabb
Sent: Tuesday, 30 January 2018 12:30 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Patio poser
Without wishing to prolong the ‘O’ theme, may I raise the matter of Canberra’s patios? As we know these come in a range of styles from Spanish-hacienda to Naples-backstreet. Contents vary from towering potted palms and the latest Webber
to the battered lawnmower and broken leaf-blower. The below patio scene (clearly bird-related and photographed this morning) shows part of the cactus collection belonging to a neighbour. What is the red object?
