Hello Birding-Ausers,
I have a query about the calls of Pied Currawongs.
I normally live in Gembrook (VIC) and have Pied Currawongs around most of
the time. I also visit Mt Hotham (VIC) quite a lot where there are also lots
of PCs. These places are about 300-400km apart as the Currawong flies, yet
there is very little difference between their calls. I am now in northern
NSW, based in Byron Bay and again have PCs around the house all the time.
The call of these birds is totally different from the Vic call that I am
familiar with. I visit a friend about 5km away and there the calls are
different again.
At Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads and Ballina (all golf courses!) and several
other places I have again noticed a big difference in the calls. Sometimes
it takes a couple of minutes for me to even recognise that it is a PC
calling. There is always a distinctive PC quality in each of the dialects
but I don't think an individual from Byron Bay would be able to understand
one from Mullimbimby. It would be like a person from far North Scotland
talking to a Cockney from London.
Maybe this is a well-known and documented fact that I haven't caught up
with.
I would be interested to hear other people's comments and any web sites that
I can visit to read about this interesting phenomenon. I haven't got many
bird books with me, only Simpson/Day and Pizzy/Knight both of which describe
what I perceive as the Victorian call.
Val Curtis at beautiful but wet Byron Bay
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