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How we hear birds

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Subject: How we hear birds
From: Brian Fleming <>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2018 13:55:59 +1000
The first time we ever saw and heard Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, we thought it made an extraordinary sound - almost a squelching sound.  They were sailing around us at Canberra Botanic Garden in its very early days.  I now describe its call as a 'Cheee-urk'. Better spoken than written - it needs a dropping tone on the first syllable.

Around Melbourne I believe them to be partial migrants - I think one of its old names is Summer Bird. In spring I have seen them in what I believe to be slow circling display flights, with much calling and exaggerated wing-shuffles on landing.   I don't think I have ever seen this described.

By far the best way to distinguish the calls of Pied and Grey Currawongs is to remember that Pied says "Come on Geelong!'  I agree that human phrases  are not ideal - but they are at least memorable.

Anthea Fleming



On 18/05/2018 10:35 AM, Graeme Chapman wrote:
Try to describe the call of a Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike.  I did once in my book 
"Common City Birds". When I read it now I think it's awful!

The bird call descriptions in the field guides are so subjective. That's why we 
have the apps.

According to my stats page, about a third of the visits to my website are 
people listening to the sound.

Unfortunately, unaided , iPods and phones don't reproduce the very low or very 
high frequencies very well -  you need to use earphones or a good quality  
speaker.

For most people, particularly males, what you hear is age related. I can only 
hear now up to about 6 kHz. So much for grasswrens!

With human speech, I have difficulty with people who gabble - speak really fast 
- I hear them OK but maybe the processor in my brain is also getting old.

Anybody know where to have neurons renovated??

Graeme Chapman
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