RE: Fight Sequence of Channel-billed Cuckoos

["Barratt Plaxy" <>]

Hi Geoff

Great photos! I witnessed a similar altercation between two
Channel-billed Cuckoos this time last year in my local patch, on the
Prince Henry Drive circuit in Toowoomba, Qld, and was equally amazed. In
that instance there were three birds in a fig tree on the edge of the
escarpment, two fighting, and another apparently unperturbed by the
commotion (the object of the other birds' desire perhaps?). Two birds
duelled dramatically with their bills until one fell, and just as you
describe, was left hanging vertically off the bill of the other! Several
moments later they crashed heavily through branches to the ground
approximately 10m below. The fighting continued briefly out of sight
until they flew noisily back to the top of the fig, where one proceeded
to chase the other, hopping alternately from branch to branch. And
during the whole affair the third Channel-billed Cuckoo remained
unmoved...well, visibly at least!

Cheers, Plaxy

Toowoomba, Qld