Koel young

[Philip Veerman via Canberrabirds <>]

 I think there is a case for suggestion of some sort of mimicry (not learned but evolved – genetic) of begging calls of koels. Although the issue there, is that whilst in our area they are only targeting Red Wattlebirds, in a broader range they parasitise many species. So that suggestion doesn’t hold well. For example in Philippines the almost the same Common Koel E. scolopacea parasitises mynas (maybe others) and it appears, is not migratory.

 

Philip

 

From: Canberrabirds [ On Behalf Of Kim Farley via Canberrabirds
Sent: Friday, 10 January, 2025 9:30 AM
To: Canberra birds
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Koel young

 

Hi Jack

You will pick up the following three records in eBird, but for the interest of others too, Julie Hotchin and I reported Koel copulation in mid December at Jerra Wetlands. Is this quite late in the season and/or do they do repeat breeding? 

On 2 Jan Sue Beatty and I found a young Koel being fed by a Wattlebird at Mawson (haha, we were unsuccessfully looking for the Blue-faced Honeyeater family being seen there at the time). The next day at West Belconnen Pond I found a very young looking Koel, sitting right by a nest. It was being fed every two minutes or so by its tireless Wattlebird parent. The parent was gleaning food in the same tree for the whole 15 minutes I watched them both.

I was interested too that the begging calls of these young Koels were virtually indistinguishable from the begging calls of young Red Wattlebirds. Some may say that all young birds sound the same, but that is not really the case, to my ear.

Kim

 

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