Koels looking for a nest

[Jack Shapiro <>]

Reports of Koels calling in different locations in Sydney are commonplace, but yesterday I saw an interesting Koel episode.

Early in the afternoon I heard a male Koel calling, and was able to see it perched on a Jacaranda tree across the road.  It called for about 30 minutes, then stopped and disappeared.

About an hour later I heard a great commotion in the backyard, of birds chasing a predator, calling were Noisy Miners and Currawongs. They were mobbing a pair of Koels perched on a tree and continued mobbing until the Koels left.

I have never seen a pair of Koel together, so suspect that their joint activity could have been associated with finding a nest to lay eggs, and perhaps an exercise in distracting attention of the local Currawongs.

There are no Wattlebirds in our neighbourhood (North Cremorne, a Northern Sydney Suburb), so the only possible hosts could be Pied Currawongs, or Noisy Miners.  The local Currawongs finished their breeding, as evidenced by the appearance yesterday of a fluffy, grey fledgling that descended to drink from the birdbath.

Perhaps the Koels know something that we, humans, don’t about the intention of the Currawongs to breed yet again, now the rain has come!  The regular breeding season of Pied Currawongs is reported to be between September & November in Simpson & Day’s Field Guide.

The Male Koel has been calling again briefly this morning.

Jack