G'day Jill and Birding-Aus'rs,
Just like to confirm the Koel story, a friend of mine in Moorooka (Brisbane)
had a neighbour who fed Kookaburras with meat, and I observed a male Koel
helping himself to a morsel or two, whilst being dive-bombed by Noisy
Frairbirds.
Recently whilst observing the Apostlebird 'mob' at Samford Paul Walbridge and I
saw a pair of Channel-billed Cuckoos feeding on a nestling (possibly an
Apostlebird)
Does anybody have any similar observations?
Tom Tarrant
Dayboro, Qld
Jill Dening wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I listened to an interesting story last night, told by Ailsa Watson, who is
> in charge of Seabird Rescue on the Sunshine Coast, SEQld.
>
> I have never regarded the Common Koel as a carnivore. The Photographic
> Index records foods as fruits and some insects.
>
> Ailsa has a Koel coming in to her feeding trays. She has one tray at each
> end of her verandah, one bearing fruit, the other bearing meat. She has
> observed, over the three years of Koel visitation, that prior to Christmas
> the Koel always feeds from the fruit tray.
>
> But once again, after Christmas, the Koel has switched to feeding from the
> meat tray. It behaves aggressively towards the kookaburras, raising its
> neck and head feathers in threat. I can't recall if Ailsa said it feeds
> exclusively on meat, or not.
>
> Ailsa is thinking that the Koel is possibly changing its diet at this
> point, in order to build up protein in preparation for the coming northward
> migration. I have no argument with this theory.
>
> What do others think? Has anyone observed Koels eating meat in the wild? I
> would welcome a discussion on this subject through birding-aus, and suggest
> that Ailsa, who does not subscribe to this list, would also like to receive
> copies of messages at her address :
>
>
>
> regards,
>
> Jill
>
> Jill Dening
> Sunshine Coast, Qld
>
> 26º 51' 152º 56'
>
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