PHEASANT COUCAL IN THE SYDNEY REGION
HANZAB 1999 Vol 4 pp 793-806 gives the distribution of the Pheasant Coucal
Centropus phasianinus in New South Wales as follows (less the references):
" Mostly east of the Great Divide, from Queensland Border south to south
Hunter Region, with small numbers around Sydney, and sparsely scattered
records further south to Illawarra R. Said to have occurred to Jervis Bay
but now probably extinct there; sometimes further west to North West Plains
from Yetman to Narrabri, and inland to Orange in Central Tablelands, rare
record much further west in Upper Western Region near Narran Lake and in
Central Western Plains at Lake Cargelligo."
South of Sydney, Chafer, Brandis & Wright 1999 A Handbook of the Birds found
in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Adjacent Tablelands state that the bird is
considered to be a "Rare, possibly resident?" species for the Illawarra with
records from 12 sites since 1975, including 3 records from Barren Grounds NR
and heard calling at the Vincentia Golf Course in 1997. This latter record
is on interest as it conflicts with Mills (1987) statement that "probably
extinct in Jervis Bay area".
Since 1999 some other interesting records include Macquarie Marshes
24/11/2000 (Morris 2003); Tiorania, Armidale 5/8/2001 and 1 Mount Victoria
25/10/2001, which is interesting as they are rarely recorded above 500m
(Morris 2004); and 1 Maddens Plains 1/11/2003 (Morris 2005 in press).
In the Sydney Region as per E.S. Hoskin 1991 The Birds of Sydney, the birds
are regularly reported from Kur-rin-gai Chase NP, Long Reef/Narrabeen Lagoon
and headwaters, Prospect Reservoir and Royal NP particularly around
Maianbar. Much has been made as to the fact that the birds are usually
associated with Sandstone areas rather than shale in the Sydney Region, but
I believe that such a statement is not of any significance because primarily
the bird is found in swampy heath, watercourses and wetland edges both
estuarine and freshwater regardless as to whether these are in shale or
sandstone patches. After all, the other common name for the bird is Swamp
Pheasant and it is definitely found in swamps and swampy watercourses! So I
am not surprised about the recent sighting at Scheyville as there is a
swampy watercourse and series of seasonal billabongs that winds away through
that national park. I see no reason why if the birds were seen in Fox
valley, in northern Sydney, they would not cross over into Willouby Council
area providing there was a swampy, densely vegetated wetland for them
occupy.
However I doubt if the Pheasant Coucal population is on the increase, McGill
1958 The Birds of Sydney said that the Pheasant Coucal inhabits thick grassy
swamplands, the rank growth bordering creeks, damp heaths and scrubby
hillsides but it does not occur in shale country. Hoskin 1991 The Birds of
Sydney generally listed the places that it is still seen today, so I cannot
see any evidence that the bird is on the increase, as some areas where it
once occurred have now been cleared but in other areas like Scheyville,
wetlands have been protected and some re-established such as the Warriewood
Wetlands so that the population is probably about the same. The practice of
local governments creating and re-establishing wetlands to manage surface
storm-water run-off from urban and industrial areas will no doubt help in
re-establishing this species in other parts of Sydney.
Alan Morris
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