Hi everyone, My name is Kate and I live on the coast of NSW in Manly, I came across your list through my local library where I work as a librarian on the weekend, and I was very pleased to find such a list! I’ve been on maternity leave after finishing my job in the CBD and have started noticing the birds that live around the local area, both those who seem to inhabit the region year round and the “blow-ins” that flock in at various times throughout the year. My question is this: I have noticed a large grey bird that often appears in pairs, (I have also observed them flying in a group) that are being fiercely attacked by the local magpies, noisy minors, the occasional crow and even sea eagle. I have never seen them before, they have a large piercing cry and seem to roost or rest in the local Norfolk pines. They look a bit like a crane, without the long neck and legs. They also have long fan-like tail. The reason why they interested me was because I wondered if they could be a kind of cuckoo, or a bird that displaces the eggs of other birds because they seem so hated. All you have to do is look up in the sky if there is a commotion and these birds are invariably at the centre of an attack. Thanks for your help, I look forward to your replies. Kate. =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Great bird! You’re lucky to have spotted them this early in your birding ventures. Keep an ear out for them – it’s worth looking around for a recording. I always think they sound like someone strangling a sea gulll…but that’s not very (at all) scientific. They can be obvious early in the season but then get very skulky for such big birds. If memory serves, they’re the largest parasitic cuckoo in the world. They’ll show up later in the season calling again…but not for as many days…to collect the young and lead them north. That’s a fairly unusual behavior amongst cuckoos, I believe. Watch for them in flight, too as they’ve got an unusual an characteristic flight shape. Sort of like a flying cross. If you spot any Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in flight, the profile is also cross-like, but they’ve got very different ways of moving in flight, overall shapes and calls. (I doubt you would have the slightest problem telling that these are different species in flight.) P.S. Yes! Pick up some binoculars, the best you feel you can. Consider getting a high quality 7x instead of an 8x or 10x, if cost is a big factor. 7x are lighter and easier to carry and don’t make a huge difference in magnification compared with 8x. With optics, you get what you pay for….but higher magnifications cost more at equal levels of quality. =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Hi Kate, You’ve discovered Channel-billed Cuckoos, sometimes affectionately called the flying walking-stick. Yes they are indeed parasitic cuckoos that visit out more temperate latitudes during the austral summer. They parasitise birds in the magpie / currawong range size and it seams a mystery that their victim parents realise that they are a problem when spotting adults flying around (hence the attacks upon them), but can’t recognise (or just don’t do anything about) the youngsters in their nest. Allan Richardson Morisset NSW On 16/11/2013, at 2:01 PM, Kate Rees wrote: =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Most probably a Channel-billed Cuckoo, Kate. Shirley Cook —– Original Message —– Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2013 2:01 PM =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Hi Kate , You were right in wondering if this was a kind of cuckoo , it definitely is . Common name is channel-billed cuckoo , if you have a bird identification book or access to one , look it up under this name for more information . John, Sent from my iPad =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Thanks for all your replies, the consensus is the Channel billed Cuckoo. Amazing looking bird, I’m hoping to see one up close so I can have a look at their eyes. A pair of binoculars are in order! Kate. On 16/11/2013 2:01 PM, “Kate Rees” < kateamber01@gmail.com> wrote: =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================
The very much suggests to me the Channel-billed Cuckoo. Indeed I’m sure of it. I am sure you could find it in books in your library. Any Australian bird field guide has it. And yes they are a nest parasite of mainly Currawongs, Magpies, Crows Philip —–Original Message—– [mailto:birding-aus-bounces@lists.vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Kate Rees Sent: Saturday, 16 November 2013 2:02 PM Hi everyone, My name is Kate and I live on the coast of NSW in Manly, I came across your list through my local library where I work as a librarian on the weekend, and I was very pleased to find such a list! I’ve been on maternity leave after finishing my job in the CBD and have started noticing the birds that live around the local area, both those who seem to inhabit the region year round and the “blow-ins” that flock in at various times throughout the year. My question is this: I have noticed a large grey bird that often appears in pairs, (I have also observed them flying in a group) that are being fiercely attacked by the local magpies, noisy minors, the occasional crow and even sea eagle. I have never seen them before, they have a large piercing cry and seem to roost or rest in the local Norfolk pines. They look a bit like a crane, without the long neck and legs. They also have long fan-like tail. The reason why they interested me was because I wondered if they could be a kind of cuckoo, or a bird that displaces the eggs of other birds because they seem so hated. All you have to do is look up in the sky if there is a commotion and these birds are invariably at the centre of an attack. Thanks for your help, I look forward to your replies. Kate. =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================