a bird with many names, the Pacific Koel (Cuckoo)

Just a few mornings ago, the unmistakable call of the Koel - sometimes referred to as Eastern Koel, mostly known as the Common Koel, but also now crowned, the Pacific Koel!  Some will also refer to this bird as the Stormbird, or the Rainbird.

While I've often heard, and seen them flying through the bushland corridor, 7.30 a.m. on this morning, I could see a glossy black male momentarily perched up in the uppermost branches of this Angophora tree.  It was surprising that it didn't take off really, so I'm especially happy to have gotten these record shots.

From BirdLife Australia "usually arriving in September, this bird flies to Australia from New Guinea, Indonesia and possibly the Philippines, remaining until March or April, when they return to their non-breeding grounds."

those red eyes are pretty amazing aren't they?

and this is what makes for early risers in the neighbourhoods they frequent!

I hope you'll go to Graeme Chapman's (ornithologist) page and hear the varying raucous sounds of the Koels.  They're common-place bird-calls around here for months.

Juvenile Koel, October 2013


and if you hadn't seen this post from March 2012 you will see one juvenile Koel that had been reared by a Little Wattlebird