Currawongs

[Jack & Andrea Holland <>]

Thanks John, I should have added they behaved similarly to yours except it was in June.  Suddenly there would be a commotion and Pied Currawongs would fly up from all around, and continue to noisily do so for 10-15 minutes before it slowly died down.  Not sure what caused it but suspect a goshawk or sparrowhawk which are what generally seems to get the larger birds very excited similarly around here.

 

Regards

 

Jack Holland

 

From: John Harris

Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 9:19 AM

To: Jack & Andrea Holland ; m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");"> chatline

Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Currawongs

 

Thanks Jack. I wonder the purpose of all the commotion and chasing. Ahead of a winter roost, I presume some bonding activities must occur. There appeared to be a fair bit of aggression but I could surmise that that there would be some aggression as they moved from a more isolated life in pairs or small groups into a large commune.

 

 

 

 

From: Jack & Andrea Holland <>
Date: Friday, 26 April 2019 at 8:53 am
To: John Harris <>, chatline <>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Currawongs

 

John, not sure if anyone has responded to you, but large flocks of Pied Currawongs aren’t that unusual.  There was a group of 50-60 on Cooleman Ridge for a few weeks last winter, and I note that the 2017-2018 Annual Bird Report notes a maximum flock size of 104 for that year.  This was well below the 10 and 30 year averages of over 500.  I expect some of these would be similar to the roost flights over my place in the 1980s, where over 200 were regularly counted in the mornings as they flew over from their roost site at Narrabundah Hill/Mt Stromlo.

 

Jack Holland

 

From: John Harris

Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2019 3:50 PM

To: chatline

Subject: [canberrabirds] Currawongs

 

At least 60 maybe 100 Pied Currawong’s on the east side of Percival Hill. I have never seen such numbers and wonder if others have.

There is normally a winter roost of 10 or 12 on Percival Hill but these numbers were remarkable, flying high and returning to the trees, calling loudly and  continually, perching mainly in the highest branches of the eucalypts but some lower, chasing each other etc etc. Has anyone seen similar?

 

 

 

 

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