Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Whipbirds feeling the Love

It was a Springtime afternoon as far as a pair of Eastern Whipbirds were concerned.

They chased each other round and round under a couple of low shrubs outside my front verandah.

They even ran along a Park Bench made out of an old Railway Sleeper.
Then remarkably this guy actually appeared in the open, long enough for me to take a couple of snaps.

They're not great shots, but given how rare this encounter was, I will accept the opportunity gratefully.
Whipbird was calling actively, and chasing another Whipbird

Whipbirds are notoriously secretive, and have an ability to judge how to sit on the far side of any bush.
Front-on view of the white cheek patches of the Whipbird
I hear these birds every day, and recently they have been calling loudly and frequently, but this afternoon's performance was notable.
I only heard the male calling. There was no female answering call. (Listen to both calls: click on the sound file sign at top of the COG Gallery page here

So, was this a mating ritual or a display of territorail behaviour to chase off another male bird? I really do not know. There were two birds present, but only one calling, and only one was prepared to allow itself to be photographed.

9 comments:

Mr. Smiley said...

A rare and wonderful shot.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Dave
Thanks. Glad you appreciated the "shot".
Cheers
Denis

Unknown said...

Very nice, I will show Jonny, we pretend to be whipbirds often! Never seen one though

Wilma said...

A handsome bird, Denis!

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Angela and Wilma
Thanks
Still smiling at the image of Angela and her son playing at being Whipbirds.
Just the acoustics, I trust.
:-))
Denis

Joy Window said...

Whipbirds also have a funny little chortling call. Have you heard it? I tracked it down once, thinking it was a parrot of some kind chattering softly, but a whipbird was at the end of the trail.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Joy.
Yes, I know their little chuckling, chatty noises well.
Sometimes used to sound cranky, other times it seems to just indicate where they are and what they're doing (such as "I'm over here scratching up some good worms").
.
Full of character, and always busy.
Cheers
Denis

Wally said...

Oh, that is the most wonderful call :-) I realised I had the sound on my computer turned down and I was turning it up and the "whip" made me jump.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Mac
That's almost funny, but I realise Ought have warned people about the "explosive" sound.
Cheers
Denis