Hi everyone,
I've been watching a few Channel-billed Cuckoos at work, and have a question regarding their behaviour. I've had a quick look on the net but couldn't find what I was after, so was wondering if anyone here could help.
This morning I watched six CBCs flying together. Using binoculars, I couldn't determine whether plumage was grey or buff, so I can't be certain of whether they're adult or juvenile.
One of my questions: Is it common to see CBCs in groups, rather than alone?
A related question: If they are in a group, would this indicate that they might be juveniles who have come from the same nests (eg, three nests each may have hosted two of the birds)? Or is it common for adults to hang around together?
The birds I saw were in a loose group. Two or three were flying together from tree to tree, and at another time there were six flying around in close proximity to eachother. Occasionally, a Pied Currawong and Noisy Minor would harrass an individual bird. A crow or raven was sometimes flying behind the CBC, but didn't appear to be harrassing it. So perhaps the crow was a "parent"?
The birds stay at my work all day, so later I might go to where they are for a closer look.
If anyone has any info regarding the above questions, I would love to hear it.
Thanks,
Andy.
I have seen three and four channel bill cuckoos flying around Woy Woy/Umina during the season so I guess it is pretty normal behaviour. Pretty confident they were adults also.
I'm not an expert but I would suggest a female being persued by a number of males.
See Yez
Trev
G'day Andy, It is not uncommon for a male CBC to hassle a nesting Crow or other large bird to the point where the bird will chase the CBC away. While this chase is going on the female CBC will duck in and lay an egg in the host birds nest. Around here (Northern Rivers) almost every large fig tree has a population of up to 20 CBCs and gets very noisy at times.
Ray.
Hi Tiffany, Trev, and Ray,
Thanks for your responses. Tiffany, they're quite impressive when they're flying together, don't you think?
Trev - Interesting, I hadn't considered the possibility that several males were chasing a female.
Ray - Wow, I can only imagine the noise caused by 20 CBCs! The noise made by the six at my work was incredible. First, one starts doing the weird chuckling noise that warns of a squawk. Then it launches into its honking squawk, and is joined by the other five. It's amazing! And yeah, I've read that the male will lure the crow away so that the female can lay in the crow's nest, but I'm not sure if this process would require 6 CBCs? I wonder if it's a cooperative process?
Thanks again,
Andy.