birding-aus
I live on the southern outskirts of Brisbane on 5 acres with a creek
close to the house fringed by casuarinas, a few melaleucas and a
reasonable dense understorey (now there are no horses there to trample
it down). There have been pheasant coucals here for five years, but I
saw and heard two birds performing a behaviour that I have not seen
before.
About 4.30pm on Friday there was a strange repeated call, that I can
only describe as a long "yow". On investigating I found a large
pheasant coucal in breeding plumage at the top of a casuarina tree was
making the call. It was eventually answered in a softer tone by a
smaller bird, again in breeding plumage in a tree about 20 metres away.
The feathers on the larger bird were erected and flattened, twice I
think, then it called the typical coop coop call and was answered by the
other. The first bird then starting making noises with its beak, that
sounded like a hollow log being tapped with a stick, this went on for a
while, then he made some low grumbling or growling noises, that I
thought he made in his throat. The smaller bird flew some distance
away, and the larger moved to another tree. I then had to leave. I
have heard them calling since, but have not heard this sequence again.
At first I thought it might have been a territorial display, but now
think it was probably some sort of mating ritual or display. Has anyone
else seen this.
Annette Cooke
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