Other birds don't like the poor cuckoo as it is what is known as a 'parasite' bird - in that it will often lay its eggs in other birds nests and get them to raise their babies - this is a big bird, so you can imagine how hard a smaller bird, like a magpie, may have to work to feed such a baby cuckoo as it grows up.
They return here each Spring all the way from New Guinea or even Indonesia and go back again in March or April. They are the world's largest cuckoo and like mostly fruit to eat.
Visit: Summer is Channel-billed Cuckoos Season by Jeffrey Sabri and Andrew Tiede
The Common Koel is also a member of the cuckoo family and they too arrive around now. Adults are rather shy and they are heard much more than seen. In contrast to the adults, fledglings can be very conspicuous as they beg loudly for food from their foster parents.
Visit: Fledgling Common Koel Adopted by Red Wattlebird
Common Koel Fledgling - Careel Bay, Summer of 2013
Most Koels migrate from Australia to New Guinea and probably eastern Indonesia and even further north, but some remain in northern Australia. During breeding season, they are found in northern and eastern Australia, south to about Nowra, New South Wales, although occasional birds are encountered further south. The Koels leave southern Australia in about March, so lots of 'cooee' sounds will be heard for a few months yet.
What many have seen the past few weeks is all our year round birds either gathering threads and straws to build nests or gathering food to feed newly hatched young ones - it's a great time of year to see what's happening in your own garden and look up!
Above: Channel-billed Cuckoos - Below: Common Koels - pictures taken by A J Guesdon in Springs and Summer in Pittwater.
Pittwater Online News is Published Every Sunday Morning: 8 a.m.
