Tuesday, June 18, 2013

CURLY CURLEW-THIS IS YOUR WAILING LIFE !

Defensive curlew on Magnetic Island. Vallis photo

The   wonderful   Stone  Curlew , with  its  large head , fathomless eyes ,   has   a  distinctive  wail  at  night . It   cries, it  is said,  for  lost  or dead   children  Others  say  it  is  the Devil  Bird,  its  cry announcing the death  of  somebody , a  dreadful  event  .    A  Darwin  resident  surprised  by  describing    curlews   as ”  those broken - legged  birds” , because  of  the  way  their  long  legs   are    jointed  and    fold  forward enabling   a  prone  position,  as  they  blend   into  the  background .   
Headed   Authentic Life   Record  of  a  Stone Curlew, an  April 27, 1934   letter  from W.H.Kinsela, Member of  NSW  Anthopological Society , Australian Museum ,  has  surfaced   which  contains   information  about   the   longevity   of  the   bird...
 
        In Rockdale , a suburb of Sydney, an old resident of the district, whom I have known personally for some years, keeps a fine specimen of a Stone Curlew, which readily  answers to the name of "Curly". Towards the end of this year (1934) he will celebrate his twenty-ninth birthday. As far as Mr. J. R. Kinghorn, ornithologist of the Australian Museum, knows, no other bird of this species has reached this age in captivity in Australia.

        This  bird came from Alstonville, on the Richmond River, near Casino, NSW, In his third year he was brought to Sydney, his days from then on being spent in three different suburbs. During his life he has always been allowed absolute freedom in the garden, keeping guard about the house like a faithful hound, every now and then giving forth that mournful cry so characteristic of these birds.
 

        Despite his seasonal attacks of rheumatism and gout (or whatever old birds   get!), he seems good to pace his domain for several more years yet, to meet the stranger at the gate with that watchful twinkle in his eye which belies his real age, 21. ( Ed.- Joke)  This   record  I can state as absolutely authentic: I have watched the Curlew myself  for over 20 years.