Hello all. I would love any assistance in identifying this Queensland bird. The problem is I cannot describe what it looks like, but rather only describe it's unique sound.
I hear these a lot around the bush area around Brisbane and the surrounding areas. The birds usually are all in nearby trees communicating to each other. The sounds come from the top of the trees however given that I can't see them I can only imagine that they are small birds.
The sound they make can be described as a "toot". It's a short and quite soft call. They will only call it once, and then get a response from another bird. It is a frequent sound though, with a number of the birds in the one area all communicating. When in the right area you will hear a (quite peaceful) chorus of "toot"s continually sounding out.
I have never heard them ouside of bush areas, however they are common in bush areas, although they seem to like to cluster in pockets. If you go to bush areas such as up in Mount Glorious then they are probably the most common bird sound in the area.
I would be really thankful if anyone could give me an idea as to what they may be. Some suggestions are welcome even if you're not completely sure, since I can then go and research on those suggestions.
Many thanks
They might be Bell Miners. They sound like lots of bells tinkling. If you go on the bird finder on the top right of the page you can find it. Then you can search it and hear the call.
Give this man a prize!
That's exactly the one - Both the sound file you suggested, as well as youtube clips have left me on no doubt.
Thank you for that - I can now stop referring to them as "toot birds" to my children.
Thanks again.
Well picked up timrp.
Kiwi, they tend to live in colonies around a particular tree or group of trees. They are also sometimes called bellbirds, though they are not related to bellbirds, but are a honeyeater in the same family as the Noisy Miner.
They are quite common in the Brisbane Forest Park (D'Aguilar National Park). I think they are more common in the lower more Eucalypt-dominated areas, like Bellbird Grove (surprise, surprise
) and around the park HQ at The Gap, and are less common in the true rainforest up around Maiala and that area.
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane