Monday, May 21, 2018

IS THIS FLIGHTY BIRD CUCKOO OR JUST BOOK MAD LIKE MOI ?

Suddenly , elusive birds known as  Swamp  Pheasants ,  Coucals and  Swamp Cuckoos    have reappeared on Magnetic Island . One made a brief welcome  appearance on  the Little Darwin estate , then quickly fluttered away  and  hid. 
In  an attempt to lure the bird out into the open  once more for a photograph , this blogger began  making  the usual   whoop   whoop  calls to  make  it reappear , respond  in  voice  . However,  the definitive What Bird Is That , by Neville W. Cayley , says the bird's call  resembles  "Coop, coop" , or " Book, book." It seems I have been hitting the wrong note  running  about the  district   for  years  making  whoop  whoop noises , causing  neighbours to  stare  at  me .
  

Cayley further wrote that the  bird is the  only Australian Cuckoo that does not  lay its eggs in nests of  other birds  and eats frogs, small reptiles , aquatic  insects  and  the eggs and young of  other birds .  

One of the lucky birds is being looked after by wildlife  carer  Bev from the Mexican Restaurant  who is  feeding it  on  crickets .