Over the past two weeks there has been a marked increase in the amount of calling, whistling and other banter from our local Pied Currawongs in Sydney.
Calling continues through the night also but only from the odd individual. However, peaking around daylight and again at sunset the Pied Currawongs are in full gusto and flying about in groups. Spring is nigh? Suggesting that they are looking for a mate?
On a lighter note, in news just to hand, despite Australia's increased boarder security measures the government has agreed to grant both the Common Koel and Channel Bill Cuckoo's their annual "temporary visitors visa" despite protests from other bird groups. These temporary visitors are now packing their bags for the annual flight south, who will be the first to hear the first Common Koel of the season?
I have noticed the currawongs calling a lot as well raven, especially at dawn and early morning.
I don't understand why they wan't to not allow the cuckoos to come, they are such amazing birds.
Hehe, Raven, I like your style...
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I suspect it'll be our northern friends like ed who'll be the first to see Koels and CBCs but we'll see.
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I haven't noticed the Currawongs at my place being particularly noisy yet, but I am expecting to hear from the 4am Pied Butcherbirds over the next few weeks. It's a lovely song, but SOOOOO early....
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
I hear Currawongs sometimes and their song is very interesting. A big mix of weird and wonderful noises that don't even sound like birds.
Cheers, Owen.
Yeah, Owen, that's one thing I love about them too. I recognised them as the "Star Wars" birds for a while, cos they sound like people shooting laser guns or something.
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
Looking through my bird books I cannot find out if Currawongs pair up for life like Ravens and Magpies?
If they do not, this may suggest the frenzed calling in the past two to three weeks as they search for a mate for the breeding season?
Breeding season varies depending which book you look at, one says Aug to Jan and another says Sep to Jan.
I am currently hearing the PBBs at 5.30am and they just go on and on and on and on LOL . As we have talked about before timmo, they have a different song entirely at dawn but just as repetitive and I think the same amount of notes. I have had plenty of time on my hands so have been up in the dark with the video camera and recording the wonderful chorus. Keep getting distracted though by frogs, swamp wallabies and goodness knows what else.. i am turning into a right little David Attenborough ! I am unable to get out and use my camera much so it has been interesting to try moving pictures and the sound attached. Pied Currawongs have been very active lately too ...lovely song. They are like stealth bombers though, I was filming the catbird coming down to a tree where I sometimes leave spikes of fruit and a PC dropped out on it from above without a sound..must have been there watching all the time unbeknownst to me.
As for the Koel Raven .....I can't wait..... they can drop their landing gear in my neighbourhood as soon as they like
:') I love Spring
Sunshine Coast Queensland
I have found the answer to the Pied Currawong frenzy...it's their mating season. This afternoon I managed to get home from work early so I sat outside for 40 minutes with the binoculars and watched the pre-dusk frenzy.
Four Pied Currawongs were observed on my neighbours workshop roof, one picked up something in his beak, like an offering, cowered down and another approached. Then another of the four attacked (another male I think), nothing vicious, and this bird started to pick up what looked like a twig from the roof and thrust his head back and spread his tail feathers like a male pigeon.
So, the frenzied groups from dawn and around dusk, all the calling, and cartwheels in the sky plus the group gatherings is pretty much clear the mating season for these birds is in motion.
So unlike Ravens, Magpies, Cockatoos, Pigeons and Doves etc these Pied Currawongs do not mate for life, this is their annual event with Spring just aboutn here.
However, I wish the one that occupies the tree next to my place would find a mate soon, he calls from midnight through to dawn, poor fellow!
You are right Raven, I saw a Currawong picking up twigs, presumably to build a nest. What a amazing sight it would be to see the males displaying.
[q]However, I wish the one that occupies the tree next to my place would find a mate soon, he calls from midnight through to dawn, poor fellow![/q]
I find your sympathy for the currawong very admirable when he is impacting upon your ability to sleep.
Thank you for providing the update, we only have ravens in my immediate area and so no currawong songs.
Alison
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"the earth is not only for humans, but for all animals and living things."
Today, (Sunday) at 1720hrs: How many Pied Currawongs can fit on an old broken VHF TV antenna? Answer: 13, with room for a half dozen more.
By the time I went in to get the camera some had departed.
By the way, it appears our local Magpie family have given up attacking the Pied Currawongs too, actually seen our local male Magpie "sharing" the TV antenna with three Pied Currawongs this morning...a truce perhaps? Or just worn out?