Dear Robert
We heard Pheasant Coucal at Well 50 of the Canning Stock Route 22.7.04
and saw Brown Quail, both not shown as being in this region. Due we
were told to the 2002 cyclone that had brought a lot of water down from
the north. We also had Brown Quail at Well 33 on 15 and 16 July, also
out of region. Maybe it's because of Global Warming?
I was camping about 30km north of Newhaven over the weekend and
yesterday, 28 January, I heard a Pheasant Coucal, /Centropus
phasianinus /calling from about 0630 to 0715 hours. It was in thick
scrub along a dry creek line at the bottom of a scree slope and seemed
to be moving away from me.
Having lived in the Top End of the NT for some years I am familiar
with the Coucal's call and, while I didn't sight the bird/s I am
confident that I identified it correctly.
None of the field guides I have to hand show the range of this species
being further south than about the Katherine/Mataranka area. The New
Atlas has a single, non-breeding Autumn record from Alice Springs,
approx. 300 km to the south-east, and three records for all seasons
from the Lajamanu area, about 500km to the north-west. I also note
that the BA Newhaven Birds List has no entry for the Coucal.
This may be worth pursuing further because it represents a substantial
extension of the bird's range - I'll try to get back to have a more
extended stay in the area sometime over the next few months. I'd
welcome any comments or news of similar sightings from the southern NT.
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