Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Change of Mind.

I have always liked hearing the call of the Common Koel at the beginning of summer. For me it has signaled that winter is over and all the summer activities that I enjoy so much are beginning. However, I have only once had good clear sightings of both the male and female birds. They sat outside my window and I photographed them through the glass.
Male KoelFemale Koel with her head ducked down in front
Two nights ago I changed my mind about these birds. One sat outside my bedroom window and called intermittently all night. Their call is particularly loud and definitely enough to disturb anyone's sleep. The Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds describes the call this way:
"Monotonous shrieking crescendo of calls, most commonly a loud and shrill repeated coo-eee, rising to a frantic climax and abruptly breaking off..."
Here's a little video (although a rather shaky one!) with the bird calling this morning out on the power lines. This is not the shrieked climax of the call – just the normal monotonous part.
It's enough to change anyone's mind when this goes on all night immediately outside the window.

12 comments:

  1. Fantastic birds. The video helps as I've never seen them.

    Double glazing might be your answer although rather expensive :-)

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  2. Hi Mosura, It's only been one night - so far!

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  3. Now I'll know what to listen for, they get down here fairly regularly.

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  4. As long as its not right outside the window!

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  5. Mick - I can see why the birds have lost a little of the appeal when they're so close to home LOL

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  6. Know how you feel.

    First juvenile Koel of season seen here last week but couldn't establish whether Orioles, Figbirds, Blue-faced Honeyeaters or Magpie-Larks were the duped parents.

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  7. Hi Tony, I haven't seen any juveniles this season yet.

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  8. Hi Mick
    The Canberra birdwatchers have been complaining about them for two weeks now. I don't get them here, as we don't have enough Eucalypts in Robertson - hence no Friarbirds or Wattlebirds (their host birds of preference). They get them in Bowral, just 25 kms away. They do drive people crazy.
    Cheers
    Denis

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  9. Hi Denis, the Noisy Friarbirds have been particularly vocal in chasing off the Koel - so maybe they know what it is up to!

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  10. Hi Mick
    Yes the host birds always recognise Cuckoos as "the enemy" - except when they are chicks, making that endless "feed me" squark. That presses their buttons and even non-host parent birds will drop by to feed a squarking Cuckoo - to help shut it up.
    All very interesting stuff.
    Denis

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  11. Thanks Denis that's interesting

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