Currawong's sense of timing

[John Leonard <>]

Meant to post this observation back around December, but forgot to.

 

We have an Acacia rubida in the front yard which, as they do, periodically has one of its branches die and fall off. Back in December there was a large dead branch pointing upwards and we noticed large bore holes in it. We also found a couple of moths of the genus Endoxyla (Giant Wood Moth) around the house and they seemed to have newly emerged from the stump (the larvae of these moths are the famous Witchetty Grubs). For a few nights in a row we noted a Pied Currawong coming to perch on the stump each evening just at nightfall at exactly the same time. Often he was rewarded by being able to catch one of these moths just as it was emerging from the stump.

 

--

John Leonard