birding-aus

Re: birding-aus Shy Birds and Squeaking

To: EDWIN VELLA <>
Subject: Re: birding-aus Shy Birds and Squeaking
From: Laurence & Leanne Knight <>
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 18:36:17 +1000
birding-aus

EDWIN VELLA wrote:
>
> To all
>  
> I have found that by squeaking in the past, it is one of the best ways
> of enticing very shy or elusive birds out in the open. To me it has
> worked on Rufous Scrub-birds, Pilotbirds, Southern and Mallee
> Emu-wrens etc and can even be worked on Owls. Has anybody tried this
> with shy species like Western Whipbird and Noisy Scrub-bird out of
> interest? If nobody has, I would suggest to anyway to give it a go and
> see the results.
>  
> Edwin 
>  

Well it doesn't hurt to try, but probably after you have given them a
chance to show themselves while you are being quiet.

I never had any problems seeing southern emu-wrens while I was living in
WA and I did get to have a few glimpses of noisy scrub birds at two
peoples bay [you don't seem get long looks outside of the breeding
season].  With NSBs I found the best approach was to secrete yourself in
their habitat at a point where you could see them if they came out to a
bit of an opening.  I tried silence and whistling [certainly attracted
robins, scrubwrens and firetails etc] but I'm not sure if that is what
attracted a NSB to where I was.  I  remember that it was suddenly just
there.  I'm sure it was looking at me, but it didn't make a sound while
it was popping through the shrubbery.

Having seen a NSB or two it was then pretty easy to recognise a rufus
scrubbird at Lamington this year when it popped out of the roots of a
nothofagus tree - very similar body posture and behaviour.

Imitation certainly seems to do the trick with chiming wedgebills.

Regards, Laurie.
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