We were camping on a farm in the Lockyer Valley near Laidley on the weekend and I heard and saw a large bird that I could not identify.
It had a very loud call, somewhat like the initial stage of a Kookaburra, kook, kook, kook, but not kack, kack, kack etc. I went searching for it, but could not find it and on the last night it came and landed in a tree near us.
It had a speckled grey back and tail (somewhat like the kookaburra again) and a white/cream chest and head. It had a whitish beak, again straight like the kookaburra, but not as large. It also had an orange eye. Its tail was reasonably long also.
I have the book "What Bird Is That", but couldn't find it. The closest I could get was the "Channel Billed Cuckoo" but the colour of the chest and bill were wrong.
Is there any website where you can put in a birds name and hear its call.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Brian DJ
Birds in Backyards birdfinder includes the calls usually.
Pity you don't have any photos. You have me curious now but there's no way I could identify it.
Kathiemt
Selby, Victoria
Tawny Frogmouth?? it doesn't quite match the description though...
The Channel Billed Cuckoo (CBC) was the first that came to mind to me when I started reading that.
The only other birds I can think of that may be similar to this are the Common Koel and Pheasant Coucal, but I would tend towards the CBC over these, based on your description.
My folks always reckon the CBC sounds like a demented kookaburra...
The other option in that size may be some of the larger doves?
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
After researching more and seeing photos of both sexes and then listening to the call, there is no doubt that it is a Channel Billed Cuckoo. Our siteing was a female and that is why I was not sure, because the only photo I had seen prior to my initial thread was the male photo.
Thanks everyone for your replies and interest.
Brian DJ
Are you sure, because Channel billed cuckoos are grey and as far as I know there is no or very little difference between the sexes. The sound you described sounds like a CBC but the physical description sounds more like a Koel or maybe a Pheasant Coucal. Ray
Hi Ray
If you look at the two photos on the Birdsinbackyards web site, there is a marked difference between the two photos, which I suspect are the male (top) and female (bottom). It is the lower photo that is like the one I saw. The call is also just like it. I am familiar with the Koel and Pheasant and their calls and it is not either of them.
Brian DJ
G'day Brian. I checked out those photos and I have to say I have never seen a CBC as dark as that top one, I'm sure it's a trick of the light, a shadow or something. The description beside the photo even describes the bird as being grey with darker grey on back and wings. My bird book even lists the sexes as being similar,( Jim Flegg and N Longmore) and that is my observation as well. I must say even the sound on the BIBY website is not a good one, while it is a genuine CBC call it is not indicative of the real noise that they make. I'm not trying to talk you out of you'r ID, I'm sure you are right.
Regards. Ray