We have visitor to the tree in our yard in Sydney’s inner west. He or she arrived about two weeks ago at first light – about 5:20 am and left once the sun has risen at about 7ish. It has done this every day since then.
Its call is a quiet almost croaking noise, followed by several a very loud musical clocks/ squarkie knocks (I’m having trouble describing this, but it’s not a nice bird song), then back to crocking for a few seconds.
Croooaak croooaaak crooooaaak croooaak croooaaak crooooaaak, COC COC COC COC, croooaaak crooooaaak croooaak croooaaak crooooaaak COC COC COC COC; and so on and so forth.
From what I’ve seen in the half light it looks a little the picture of the little wattle on this site, http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anthochaera-chrysoptera . It’s got a long curved tail, dappled brown feathers and slim. Bigger than a currawong, but smaller than a magpie. It flies very fast.
It is very very persistent. We open the door and clap, and it flies off to a tree maybe 100 meters away. We close the door, get into bed and it’s back within two minutes. We spent two days squirting the tree with a hose (but making sure we didn’t hit the bird), but it doesn’t seem to be any more effective than clapping.
I love birds, but I love my sleep more.
So, a) what is this devil bird?
And b) how can I ensure it goes to the nearby beautiful park that I’m sure it would enjoy much more than the tree outside my bedroom every morning?
Many thanks,
Bea
I would guess it's a red wattlebird. Sorry can't help on any ideas to relocate it from your backyard though.
I would also agree it is a Red Wattlebird . Would it be possible to net the tree concerned just at this time of year to keep it away from your bedroom window?
We have a Callistemon viminalis outside our bedroom and we get a Red Wattlebird doing the same thing but I don't mind the sound - for some reason it reminds me of camping in hot summers - but I can imagine your annoyance.
Alison
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"the earth is not only for humans, but for all animals and living things."
Thank you both.
The tree is very large, I'm not sure I could net it all without a cherry picker or similar. Thanks for the thought though.
I am currently in the process of making an elaborate contraption of old CD's, bells and wire which is then attached to the tree. This is joined by a long rope to the bedroom window, so I can give it a good pull to shake the shiny-noise-maker in the tree and Mr Red Wattlebird will go away (hopefully).
At least I know his name now though!
What species of tree is it that's attracting the wattle bird, iceicebeabea? Is the bird feeding on something in the tree? I doubt that the bird is perversely disturbing your sleep (unless it was sent by your boss) so it seems there is something about the tree that is attracting it.
By the way, Ms Woko has come up with a brilliant solution to your problem, iceicebeabea. Ear plugs!!!!