I have always been interested to know how far south the Channel Billed Cuckoo's and Common Koels go each year.
Do they go as far south as Canberra, Goulburn, Albury/Wodonga? I have never heard them in Melbourne or Bendigo during many summers there in the past so what is their southern limit?
Do they progress further south each year?
Do they mainly stay near the coast on the eastern side of the ranges? Or maybe they are seen in Bathurst, Parkes, Dubbo, Moree, Tamworth etc??
How about Western Australia, as far south as Perth? (If at all??)
Nothing on the distribution maps for Perth.
Morcombe's distribution maps have both birds as far south as Melbourne & Wilson's Promontory.
I live in Queanbeyan N.S.W, just outside Canberra, and routinely see Koels from November to March.
Just this morning, a pair of Koels was annoying a Currawong in some trees in the front yard.
I have never seen or heard a Channel bill Cuckoo in Queanbeyan, although I have seen them in Narooma on the NSW south coast.
Just before Christmas I was at Kurri Kurri and witnessed four CBC's fly over ahead from thick gum tree forestation. So they are inland, but how far?
On the east coast Koels are supposed to go as far as Nowra but I have seen and heard them much further than that.
In addition to Channel Bill Cuckoos, Koels are regulars as far south as Bega.
We live in South East Qld and this morning I saw a baby channel-bill in our yard. There also was a crow calling in the same tree and as the crow flew away, so did the channel bill. It is so exciting to actually see a baby!
How times change...
Koels have expanded their range and are now reported as becoming regular and even breeding in parts of Vic (Geelong).
Numerous reports of Koels this season in Melbourne.
Channel-billed Cuckoos are also becoming regular at Berwick east of Melbourne with some other sightings in other suburbs.
I wonder is this is climate-change induced and/or facilitated by the widespread planting of subtropical food trees like Ficus macrophylla.