Although a relatively late reply I would like to add further comment to
Frank O'Connor's posting on the NSB's he saw at Cheyne Beach:
It is not unusual for NSB to call from a perch, in fact when Webster
rediscovered the bird the first time he could get a positive ID was when the
male he had found climbed up a Banksia and began signing! (how exciting
would have that day been!! - particularly since it was the third visit since
he first heard the calling male). I myself have seen NSB calling from
perches in Agonis, Melaleuca, on top of shrubs, out in the open perched on a
stick, perching within Lepidosperma and some other places. It is interesting
that Frank mentions that this bird was out in the open for 10 minutes and
perched 2 metres above the ground!! (I would be interested to know how high
above the surrounding vegetation the bird was - and some further comments on
where the second male Frank saw was calling from). Incidentally it appears
that NSB at the translocated sites are less elusive as the birds at Two
Peoples.
Regarding the second bird Frank saw: from the description of the grey throat
this sounds like another male, not a female which have a pale brown/cream
throat with no hint of any darker markings down the centre of the throat.
Secondly, given that Frank et al. had prolonged and reasonably close views
of this bird if it were a female they would have likely noticed the smaller
size (the female weighs a mean of ~35 grams compared to the male weight with
a mean of ~51 grams i.e. on average males are 145% larger than females!!).
The colour and extent of black on the throat and upper breast is quite
variable (the bird in Pizzey and Knight is particularly well coloured!).
However, the bird is at least older than one year as Frank made no mention
of any more rufous colouration (besides the flanks/vent area) which is
typical of first-year birds. The fact this male was also calling strongly,
although I have to assume here that the vocalisations heard were
territorial/advertisement song and not short song or other calls, also
suggests it is an adult. I am not sure if the throat colouration may change
with age and younger males may have less extensive black/grey and older
males more extensive black down to the upper breast - if this is the case
the second bird seen may have been a younger bird, but irrespective of age
this male is a territory-holding bird (provided it is the territorial song
Frank was hearing).
I am further curious about a reply posting by Syd Curtis re: lyrebirds. Syd
mentioned that Lyrebirds cease to be territorial out of the breeding season
- I would like to enquire as to what is the basis of this conclusion. In any
case with the NSB established territories are defended year-round, although
singing frequency is much reduced in the non-breeding season and
unpredictable compared to the very vocal breeding season.
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