[Birding-Aus] Interesting Olive Whistler behaviour

[calyptorhynchus <>]

It was the usual call of the sp in this area, it was the silent gape and the tiny 'peep' before that I hadn't observed before. In fact I haven't seen this behaviour with any bird. I have seen passerines silently gaping, but this is usually a prelude to vomiting a pellet, or just a silent gape with no song (a yawn?).

John

On Tue, 10 Nov 2020 at 19:04, Tom Tarrant <> wrote:

Hi John,

Don't suppose you managed to record the call? I recorded an unusual-Olive Whistler call a few years ago in S Gippsland https://www.xeno-canto.org/281880 and https://www.xeno-canto.org/281881, wonder if they sounded similar?

Tom

On Tue, 10 Nov 2020 at 15:42, calyptorhynchus <> wrote:

Today on Mt Franklin Road (Brindabella Ranges, ACT), about 2.5 km beyond the final locked gate I heard two male Olive Whistlers calling at each other using the call the various field guides describes as 'tu WIT tu', but prefacing it with three even notes: 'tu tu tu, tu WIT tu'.

One male was calling from the top of a bush and I observed him calling from about 10m away. What I saw was that before he called he opened his beak, remaining silent for a moment, then uttered a tiny, almost inaudible 'peep' before launching straight into the call. I have not seen this described, and I imagine only a very close recording would capture it, and even then a listener might think it belonged to a different bird.

I have not seen/heard Rufous or Golden Whistlers do anything similar.

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John Leonard
Canberra

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I.B. (Tom) Tarrant

Dayboro

Queensland

​ 4521

http://www.aviceda.org
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John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

‘There is kinship between people and all animals. Such is the Law.’ Kimberley lawmen (from Yorro Yorro)

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