The Common Koel is a large cuckoo that arrives in Australia from south-east Asia to breed. Then migrates from Australia to New Guinea, Eastern Indonesia and further north. The female above is heavily spotted with buff-cream underparts with numerous fine black bars on her tail. Females produce 'keek-keek-keek-keek' calls to attract males like those in the film below. A male can be seen HERE ... Jack 
26 comments:
Going to sleep now before (more) cuckoo!
It amazes me how far these birds fly! I had a hummingbird migrate all the way to my yard one spring, and she went right to where my feeder usually hangs (but I hadn't even hung it yet). She had been there the year before and remembered my feeder after all those miles. The dogs love the video!! They both came running out of the bedroom, thinking, "What in God's name is that sound?"
And yesterday's post is hysterical -- avert your eyes, kids, it's lorikeet porn! Ha haa ...
Strange, Anon! How come your Cuckoo doesn't sounds like a clock...mmmmm? Are your trying to fool us and make us believe that THIS is really a Cuckoooo? mmmmmm? :) Hhehehe... In French... coucou! This term is also used to say Peek-a-boo! I've once said COUCOU! to a youn English speaking kid and his mom louked at me in a strange way....hhehehe...:)
Looked.... blah
They are big birds too with average size 42cm, Melissa! Their call is how people know one is close, with rare opportunity to spot one. However, if one lays an egg in another bird's nest in your backyard, the baby's sound drives you mad! Heehee.
It's REALLY a cuckoo MerlinPrincesse! The English speaking Mum thought you were one too!!
Aha! I have heard these, but have not seen them - Thanks Anon! She is striking, I love her patterning...that twitchy dance reminds me of Willie Wagtails and makes me tired enough to want to go back to bed tho tehehe
Apart from the time one laid an egg in the Red Wattlebird's nest, I've only spotted one in the backyard for about five minutes every couple of years! Lavender, all that twitching is probably why they were named 'cuckoo'! WAKE UP!!
What a beauty! Great pictures! A rare and special treat! Thank you.
Have to admit, the females are nice looking but couldn't actually see them until on computer later. The sun was right in my eyes which also explains the non focused film. I was aiming the camera to where the sound was! Being rare is why I'm posting such bad quality images and footage, Red Mojo. Which also makes them 'special' HAHA :)
Really, where is the second hand and long hand and where are the people that get out of the chalet when it says Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Kidding aside Anon, it's a beautiful bird. I have been reading about birds Anon and you in Australia hit the jackpot. Amazing species and some are just out of this world.
By the way, Anon, do you live near a forest or jungle? It's amazing all these birds in your backyard. Are you sure you do not live in an aviary?
It was like hitting the jackpot when two cuckoos decided to stop in my backyard Ces! I have been waiting to follow one for a couple of weeks now and they found me! Birds of a feather? Hhehheeee.
We don't have forests or jungles here, but we do have many national parks of bushland and wilderness can be found further from Sydney. We are surrounded by protected bushland on all sides, apart from the ocean which is also protected :) It's like an aviary almost everywhere in Sydney.
i want a coat that looks just like this. not made from feathers of course, but i'd like to strut into the supermarket in such a coat, pick up my green beans and chocolate pudding, and strut right out.
i'd like a wide view shot of your backyard. is it possible? i would trade for it....
:)
Beautiful birds!
Parrot porn!
What next??
heheh!
Evidently slightly different from our long-tailed cuckoo [eudynamis taitensis]though it winters up North as well. Lovely pics!
I’m SURE you could find a synthetic coat like theirs at Target KJ! You saw *THIS* post, the tree the Cuckoos are sitting in is behind. For a wider shot, I’d have to sit on the roof of the people behind us ;)
Heehee … this is part of a Spring Parade presented by Jack the Red-Collared Lorikeet, and we are up to the Midday Variety, LDahl :) Then the audience votes which bird is their favourite. The ummm errrr Lorikeets weren’t ready for this round but came tie with the Australian Raven for the *Morning Range*
You have cuckoos too ElizT! Ours are Eudynamys scolopacea, so very similar indeed!
The one we hear, and sometimes see around here,is the Shining Cuckoo, with lovely iridescence.
Oooooh, that one is closest to our Black-eared Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx osculans) which also has a metallic sheen. I'm looking all these up ... you are teaching me about Cuckoos, ElizT :))
That makes a change.
HAHHAHHAHAAAA
*cuckoo!*
I hope not to miss the vote!
Seven days to vote once the poll begins with a post of its own LDahl :)
Beautiful bird. Very stylish, too. I love stripes and polka dots together...tres French.
Like your teacup, collar and beauty spot Perriette!
I would love to see a real cuckoo - I don't care what kind. I feel deprived, that I've never seen one, certainly don't know anything about one, nor could I recognize a cuckoo's call if it cuckooed right in front of me! Time for some educatin! They are beautiful birds!
I've hardly seen any myself TsDuff! The first time I saw a Channel-billed Cuckoo, I thought it had escaped from a zoo HAHA! Sightings are rare but if you hear a very loud and annoying call you don't recognise ... it's probably a cuckoo!!
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