Yes fine. I mentioned mimicry by Orioles, as I know about it (and books mention it). Because this was different from what adults do and I doubt this was mimicry.
I expect by its behaviour what I heard today was a juvenile, maybe begging call, the 2nd sound was quite brief and only as it flew off. Although I have seen oriole nestlings before, I don’t really recall the sounds. I have listened to many of the
xeno canto recordings https://xeno-canto.org/explore?query=Olive-backed+Oriole&pg=3 of adults, including several bits with mimicry and don’t hear a match. I did not notice any labelled as juvenile begging calls.
From: Canberrabirds [
On Behalf Of Nicki Taws via Canberrabirds
Sent: Friday, 24 January, 2025 7:34 PM
To: 'shorty'
Cc: 'CanberraBirds email list'
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Oriole comment
Exactly my experience with an ObO doing a perfect White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. When I tracked it down I was a little disappointed to see it was just an Oriole, but also impressed
with the quality of the mimicry.
Cheers
Nicki Taws
0408 210736
From: Canberrabirds
On Behalf Of shorty via Canberrabirds
Sent: Friday, 24 January, 2025 6:47 PM
To: Philip Veerman <>
Cc: CanberraBirds email list <>
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Oriole comment
A while back I thought I heard a White-bellied Cuckooshrike at Mulligans Flat only to find it was an Olive-backed Oriole, one needs to be careful with calls.
On Fri, Jan 24, 2025 at 6:40 PM Philip Veerman via Canberrabirds <>
wrote:
I just went to my letter box and whilst there heard a bird call that I thought in tone and timing passably similar to a DY Koel. Fortunately the source was easy to get close to
and find and see what was making the sound. It was clearly a young Olive-backed Oriole. By shape, brown back, very heavily striped front and long brown (not orange) beak. So I thought worth pointing out as a sound that could lead someone astray into thinking
of a young Koel if not followed up on. Then it made different sounds by making a rapid repetition and was almost like the alarm call of White-plumed Honeyeaters. It appeared to be alone and soon flew off.
Of course adult Olive-backed Orioles are very good mimics but I am not suggesting that was what was happening.
Philip
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