Found this bird on a tree near Scrubby Creek in Kingston doesn't look like anthing in my books - anyone know this one?
This is my first post (and we are amateur bird watchers) so forgive mistakes please.
Kingston unidentified 24/07/11
Mon, 25/07/2011 - 18:42
#1
Meave
Kingston unidentified 24/07/11
Hi Meave,
Welcome to the forum! Your bird is a type of Cuckoo. I don't have my bird books here with me at work but I would suggest maybe a Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Maybe do a search for Australian Cuckoos on the net and see if any match.
You'll find that the forum is a friendly place for people of all levels of knowledge about birds.
Kind regards,
Andy.
Definitely a Fantail Cuckoo due to the yellow eye ring and deeper buff on breast which the Brush Cuckoo lacks, which looks most like the Fantail.
Cheers, Owen.
Nice shot, Meave. In which part of Australia was the shot taken? That can always help in identifying a species. With all that rufous colouring, I wondered if it might be a juvenile chestnut-breasted cuckoo, especially if the shot was taken on or near Cape York Qld.
Hmmm, both the chestnut & fan tailed have yellowish eye rings, the head on a fan tailed is grey green & chestnut is blue grey. its throat is a rufous, with a paler rufous on chest. To me it looks like the head is a grey green, so im going with a fan tailed. Kingston is near Brisbane isnt it.
if your happy when your birding, flap your wings.
Thanks a lot for all the replies - yes Kingston is just South of Brisbane, half way to the Gold Coast. I wondered about a cuckoo but couldn't make up my mind which one, couldn't see the bands but he was all fluffed up with the cold. My husband Bob takes the photos, I just try and identify them.
Didn't know if I could use the 'reply' link on the email, or to reply through the forum - looks as if the forum is the best way.
Meave
Meave
Your location would almost certainly exclude a chestnut-breasted cuckoo & include a fan-tailed cuckoo.