Hi all,
The Fan-tailed Cuckoo is a winter visitor ?migrant
to the lowlands of the Clarence Valley, north coast NSW, during the
autumn/winter. At this time of the year it can be seen in dry open forest
and woodland, open country and urban areas. During the spring summer it is
usually confined to wetter forests, usually at higher altitudes. I
certainly do not usually see it in the vicinity of Grafton or Coutts Crossing
during the spring/summer, although I banded a juvenile at Coutts Crossing on
November 10 1985. The other four birds (3 adults, 1 sub-adult) banded at
Coutts Crossing were banded between March 12 and June 20. Whether it is an
altitudinal or latitudinal migrant is not known but a number of southern birds
visit the north coast during the winter (Silvereyes, Grey Fantails, Yellow-faced
and White-naped Honeyeaters and probably Southern Boobooks as well as
others). I thought that the Fan-tailed Cuckoo was only a winter visitor
when I lived at Woolooware (Sydney) - but that was in a former life so my memory
may be a little hazy.
Regards
Greg
|