I count myself fortunate that having observed my initial
Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo in 1994 and that as a guide over the
intervening years I would have continued opportunity to learn much about
the ecology of this little known species.
In late April I encountered a very vocal pair seven days apart in
the same location which lead me to believe that they were there to pick
up a fledged young (cuckoo),- this I have encountered before. I believe
that the constant presence of a calling adult acclimatises the young to
venture away from ground level from where they are reared to hunt
(mainly) for caterpillars in the foliage.
A few years back on birding-aus. I mentioned that Lorna Bloom amd
myself witnessed an adult feeding a young bird which followed the parent
at height in the trees waiting to be fed.
Last Monday I had asked friends from Kuranda, Nanette Fairbairn and
Murray Borrell to check out the pair of cuckoos, a species that they had
not encountered.
It took about ten minutes to call them in only to find that there
was one adult and a first year bird ( by plumage a young female). We
watched them for about thirty minutes. After five minutes we noticed
that the adult had caught a small grey hairy caterpillar. Instead of
eating it the adult landed beside the immature bird which did not
respond in any way. Over the next twenty minutes this was repeated
eleven times before the adult consumed the food item. As I judged the
situation the adult was intent on feeding the younger bird.
During the twenty minute episode the young ventured into a nearby
green tree, caught a similar grub and ate it. It then spent another ten
minutes sunbathing with wings and tail spread in the sunlight.
Over the years I have noted a number of occassions when adults had
immatures in company. I believe that this little known species of cuckoo
may take much more interest in their young's wellbeing and this could
well be a survival strategy of a species that characteristically exists
in low numbers. I have observed them locally well over one hundred times
and I am yet to find a fostering species in the Wet Tropics.
Del. Richards, Fine Feather Tours, Mossman, NQ.
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