Results - Koel survey - 2005
In 2005, 747 records of Common Koels were added to the database. The data do not show a slow migration from the north, but rather, birds appearing across the range almost simultaneously (see maps, below). It is important to remember that most registered volunteer surveyors lived in the Sydney region, and this bias probably explains the lack of a north-south pattern.
Records of young birds being fed by their hosts became more common during January, with the Red Wattlebird being the most common host. There were some changes over time in the reporting of different songs. The percentage of all calls recorded that were female "keek-keek-keek" calls rose from early in the season and averaged 30 % of reported calls at the end of the season. The "wurroo" call of males also seemed to becomeming a less variable percentage of reported calls, averaging at 50 % of male calls over the last few analysis periods.
Please keep sending in your records, including observations from locations other than your own garden. Just make sure you change the location information from the defaults that are automatically copied from your membership page. If you have a Koel calling continuously in your garden, and don't know how to record it, please aim to submit one record per week. Select a day that your week begins, and record the first call you hear for the new week (i.e. "ko-ell, wurroo or kek-kek-kek-kek)". If you hear more than one call simultaneously, as happens when males and females are duetting, please tick them both!
Maps
Koel records received from all Australian volunteers.
August 30
September 20
October 30
November 20
January 31
Koel records received from all New South Wales volunteers.
January 31
Koel records received from all Sydney volunteers.
January 31
