Channel Billed Cuckoos

2 posts / 0 new
Last post
IslandGirl
IslandGirl's picture
Channel Billed Cuckoos

Any ideas on how to discourage Channel Billed Cuckoos? They return every year and lay an egg in a Currawong nest in a tree overhanging our deck. The noise is not only obnoxious but incessant commencing around dawn and not stopping until it is dark.

This year one poor Currawong has already lost an eye due to the cuckoo's demands and the pair of Currawong's look as if they are about to die from starvation. I've been told they will head north around March. I understand they grow to about 67cm and this one looks that size already.

Also a small flock of (presumably) adult Channel Billed Cuckoos flies by every day or so. It looks as though they are checking on the young one.

gardenlen
gardenlen's picture

g'day islandgirl,

haven't visited here for ages so i may be a bit late, not that i can realy offer much in the line of help.

though the cuckoos are fly in's from asia are they still considered to be a protected species? most likley i would say.

so then is there any chance you could remove the cuckoos egs from teh currawong nest? not that i particularly would encourge currawongs either as they can do lots of damage to other bird speices themselves robbing nests of eggs and young. curraowngs need to beliving right up in the scrub country where nature will keep them in balance.

the channel bills don't mind doing a bit of nocturnal work either, and those flying around are probably imprinting ont then young fledglings so when time comes for the call to return north they will join the flock.

if the tried getting magpie nests near home when we lived in rural i would listen for them coming and then scare them away need vigilance to be effective but it was effective for that season at least. we had our dogs trained to bark at them seemed to work.

len

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

With peace and brightest of blessings,

len
--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube