One male and one female calling at Fraser this evening. One juvenile heard during the day.
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Saturday, 9 February 2019 10:38 AM
To: 'John Harris'; 'chatline'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Where have all the koels gone?
Jack is the main one collecting data on this. The situation with this species is changing all the time and we are seeing this over the last few years. Remember
The GBS Report stated “no breeding records –yet”. So a lot has changed and still may do.
There is still the adult presence at my home. Even though there would appear to be no real need for them to still be as vocal. I suggest the answer to your 1st
question is both or just that they are not so vocal around your place. I suggest the logical answer to your last question is yes. Although the context of your question more fits the situation where a bird needs to be fully ready for a big migration with stored
fat, like a passerine flying over ocean. But this is probably not relevant to the Koel. Possibly they may not necessarily be fully grown before commencing the journey. They can feed and grow as they travel. I don’t know. That would require much study to know
the answer to that. The main requirement for migration of a terrestrial bird over land is that most movement is in the correct direction.
I have had 2 different juveniles at home. One well grown, 25 Jan, one much younger one on 7 Feb.
From: John Harris [
Sent: Saturday, 9 February, 2019 10:14 AM
To: chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] Where have all the koels gone?
After being Koel City here in Gungahlin, suddenly the absence of Wirra Wirra-ing is obvious.
Do this mean that they are on their way back to PNG etc or just that the frenzied mating season has cooled?
And does any knowledgeable person know how soon the juveniles can fly north? The Annual report suggests last reported sighting of Koels is March. Does this mean all juveniles are fully grown by then and able
to fly the long journey north?
