ID challenge 1

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Windhover
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ID challenge 1

I heard this call made by a bird at Mitchell Park, Cattai NP (NW Sydney NSW) three weeks ago. I also observed the bird after, while he was calling. I initially thought it was a particular species, but was very shocked when the identity was revealed as he showed himself. A friend and I recorded it on Sunday (3/4/2011) at dusk.

If you think you know what species of bird it is, please feel free to comment.

:)

http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/v/sounds/mpe.mp3.html

Gelmir
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I wouldn't have a clue, I can't wait to find out what it is.

Windhover
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LOL Mark. You too. I HAD no idea and was very surprised. Especially I heard/saw the same species three weeks apart at the same time of the day making the same call and having recording equipment at the ready!!!!

Gelmir
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I was going to guess at Satin Bowerbird, because of I've seen them in the area where the Bell Miners are at the top of the carpark, which you can hear in the background. But I'm just having a wild guess. :^)

GregL
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Sounds a bit like a blackbird, apart from that I have no idea.

Araminta
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Akos, seeing you know what it is, could I have heard this bird down here? (because I haven't heard it before, I think?)

M-L

Windhover
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Yes Marie-Louise, you can hear it your way! :)

birdie
birdie's picture

Eastern Whipbird?... oh wait ..maybe a rufous whipbird? LOL

Sunshine Coast Queensland

birdie
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Akos I was being serious... I have heard them cluck through the undergrowth like a chook ...just in case anyone thinks I am being ridiculous!

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Owen1
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Akos could they be white naped honeyeaters?
i have heard them making calls like that sometimes, but just guessing!

Cheers, Owen.

GregL
GregL's picture

It amazes me that birdie (and others) keep referring to a thread that was deleted, as if it is a great joke. I have noticed that most of the rancorous disputes on this forum involve birdie, araminta and windhover. They think it is funny to rake over old coals as if the deletion of the thread proves they were right. If others attempt to disagree with them in a serious way they escalate it into a fight, then blame the others (not just me). As long as birdie et al keep treating this as a private forum where they can berate or ridicule others this forum will be continually full of discord. well I hope you enjoy it.

birdie
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If you have a complaint about me GregL then I would suggest you make it to the appropriate person, Holly. You have the option of avoiding our threads. Before you make personal attacks identifying individual members it may pay to put it into perspective. I am fairly sure that out of the 2500 posts I have made there would be a very small number that would be considered contentious. When I replied to this I had not even noticed that you were involved and when I did then of course it was not possible to delete. I would have apologised for having a laugh but you have now ruled that possibility out too.
Windhover....sorry for the hijack here :'(
Still interested to find out the ID of this bird.... I still say the EWB .

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Windhover
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Sorry Owen, good try mate. :)

Don't worry Birdie, you didn't hijack anything. You win, because it IS an Eastern Whipbird. Like Gelmir (Mark) suspected initially I also thought that it was a Satin Bowerbird, but glad I got to see it. I'll send you an e-mail and you certainly know how I admire your passion for birds and the environment. I showed the call to my friend who is a scientist (surprise, surprise) and he said EW straight away. He is also the one who agreed 100% about the whipbird before - you know that one! Again, as I say, it's not about who is right or wrong, but about providing the correct information to anyone who is reading the threads whether they participate or not. I am always happy to admit if I am wrong about something, pride is not everything to me. :) :) :)

Windhover
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BTW, GregL I believe I offered to show you around my 'hood if you are ever in western Sydney! That is still an offer if you ever wish to take it up, but you seemed to have ignored it? :( :) Cheers mate.

birdie
birdie's picture

Woohoo Akos!!! Actually I have heard it quite a few times and close to my house too in the ferns around a creek bed where they nest. I remember once sending a text to a friend to say "can a whipbird make clucking noises?" I was so amazed to hear it. I knew it was an EWB as I had seen the head pop up. I find that they do that when they are deep in the undergrowth and kind of keeping a low profile but communicating with their mate. (at least that is what I think they are doing!) Yesterday I heard the same pair making a different kind of whip call too....they have a very varied repertoire if you get to listen to them frequently enough.
Really enjoyed the challenge and I think the challenge is a great idea for the forum too so thanks .

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Gelmir
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Well done Birdie!! Akos, was the EWB doing anything different when it made this call? Was it perhaps a warning or distress call?

birdie
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I was searching for more info on the calls and language as I am fascinated by bird language generally.The 2nd link below Gelmir has the scolding sound at the end that they make when they are disturbed yet it doesn't seem to be the same kind of tones as the ones Akos recorded . What do you think Akos?

http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/search?fulltext=eastern+whipbird&sortspec=date&submit=Submit&andorexactfulltext=phrase
http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/biology/dmennill/Australia/EAWH.html

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Well done birdie! I have just walked around our property, following tree Eastern Whipbirds.Two males calling, and one female answering.I have never seen them forage on the ground.At my place , they seem to stay up in the trees and shrubs. At the moment I observe mainly Whipbirds and some Golden Whistlers in my garden.There are still many Superb Fairy-wrens everywhere.There still is only one dominant male,and many females. And I do love your challenges Windhover!We want "more"!

M-L

timmo
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Hi folks,
Birdie, I've heard the same sounds you describe from Eastern whipbirds - not quite as 'sharp' as the sounds on Akos's recording, more like a cluck-cluck-cluck or chattering noise.
.
I've heard them doing this at my folks' property near Landsborough and recently up at the Bunya Mountains. It seems to be mostly accompanied by scratching noises as they rake over the undergrowth (a bit like a bush turkey) looking for food.
.
Cheers
Tim

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane

birdie
birdie's picture

Yes that is it Timmo....exactly.... just like chooks do when they are quiet and scratching through the earth for food.. I am jealous of the Bunya mountains did you see some good stuff there?

Sunshine Coast Queensland

timmo
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Hi birdie,
Yes, the Bunya mountains was beautiful. It was my first trip there, and not on my own schedule, as it was a volunteering trip organised by Greening Australia. There was more time to explore than I expected, but there's so much to see - I could spend days there.
.
The bird life was amazing, but unfortunately I don't have a quality camera at the moment. As a sample of the things we saw:
- Crimson rosella
- King parrots (up so close!)
- Wedge tailed Eagles
- Eastern Whipbirds
- Eastern Yellow Robins
- Pied Currawongs
- Brush Turkeys
- Thornbills
- Honeyeaters
- Grey Fantails
- Rufous fantails
and so many other things I couldn't see well enough or didn't have time to stop and identify.
Not to mention the wallabies that were ever-present around the site.
.
It was so beautiful to stand at the edge of the rainforest and just hear SO MUCH life going on in there. I'll definitely go back soon :)
Makes we wonder what other parts of this beautiful SEQ region I haven't discovered yet.

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane

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