canberrabirds

Koel and bower birds

To: COG <>
Subject: Koel and bower birds
From: Charmian Lawson <>
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2019 00:28:22 +0000
Good mornin
 
These may well be Sean’s Duffy Koels. I have heard them calling for a little while now, but yesterday afternoon at about 6.30 or so, I heard an odd call in the front garden of our house in Holder. It turned out to be a female koel which stayed high in the casuarina tree for some time. While I watched, two male koels flew very fast in tandem across the garden. The female left some time later. 
 
Since we moved here in 2003, we have had bower birds constantly in the yard, often making bowers. Some are knocked down (rivalry?) but the one in the front has been there for weeks now. The male who built it has a very distinctive call which initially I mistook for that of a black faced cuckoo shrike. (We also have one which has a very quiet kookaburra laugh.)
 
Our current bower builder has surrounded it as usual with blue pegs, bottle tops and other blue items. I wonder why it did not pick the bluebells nearby for decoration or enticement, as I have seen other bowerbirds hopping round with yellow petals in their beaks....
 
Charmian Lawson
Holder
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Koel and bower birds, Charmian Lawson <=
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the Canberra Ornithologists Group mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the list contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email . If you can not contact David McDonald e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU