Injured Fantailed Cuckoo Sydney

[Andy Burton <>]

Here in Sydney  (Kurtis' territory) Fan-tailed Cuckoo's are present all year and are most active in the cooler months.

They generally start calling in April as they start setting-up territories prior to their breeding season. They are particularly active until November when they tend to go quiet again. It is very difficult to determine whether their numbers decrease during the summer months or whether they tend to stop calling. Others may have a view on this.

In Sydney it is a popular myth that this species disappears at the end of summer. Marian doesn't say but I suspect that she is from the south coast of NSW where the presence / absence of Fan-tailed Cuckoos may be seasonally different. However I suspect that the presence of her Cuckoo is quite normal at this time of year.

There have been some other interesting comments about the timing of migrant birds recently, in particular 'late' Rufous Fantails. In Sydney most Rufous Fantails are passage migrants  passing through in October / November and returning  in March / April. April  birds are not late but are exhibiting, in my  view, normal migratory timing. Others may like to comment.

Of course as the climate appears to be warming some of these patterns could well be changed from what we consider to be the norm.

Regards, Andy

> Kurtis
> With the weather the
> way it is, the Fan Tailed Cuckoo may have stayed. I am hearing Sacred
> Kingfishers, Black Faced Cuckoo Shrikes and Noisy Friarbirds. I think
> a lot of birds have decided the weather is good and they have
> stayed!!
>  
> Marian
> WIRES