Eastern Koels

[casper]

Around September-October each year, Eastern Koel birds migrate to Australia from Asia to breed. They emit their call continuously, (seems like) about every 10 seconds for (again, seems like) about 20 hours per day, until they leave around April. Only deep sleep can block them out. Although they can always be heard, they are not often seen. However, after a few days of torrential rain this week, our local pair were so waterlogged that their flight was reduced to short hops around the garden, and I managed to get a few shots. Nothing special, but some birders in areas not blessed with these visitors may be interested.
The male, with its deep red eyes looks almost alien, while the female is quite pretty (just like us?). The male is around the size of a large pigeon.

All taken with Canon 7D and EF 70-300 f/4-f/5.6 IS USM. Comments more than welcome.
regards,
- Noel

1. female Eastern Koel: f/5.6, 1/160s,+1/3EV, ISO 200, FL 160mm


2. male Eastern Koel: f/5.0, 1/60s, ISO 200, FL 130mm


3. pair Eastern Koels: f/5.6, 1/160s, ISO 200, FL 150mm

[FootLoose]

Nice pictures of a wretched subject, Noel. It's the male that calls out - to attract females. ie "here I am, come a get me". When you first start hearing the call, imitate it and call back to him. He thinks it is competition and moves on - or so the theory goes.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Wavelength]

They are common here...they are popular for their musical voice... it is believed that they eat tender leaves of mango trees and get intoxicated and start singing mellifluous melodies.... In local language they are called Kuyil; nice images indeed

[Geoff F]

Considering the obvious weather restrictions these have come out well.

Possibly I might consider cropping #1 slightly differently to lose some of the distracting background near the right side edge.

[DickyOZ]

Good capture Noel, lucky to get the pair in one frame. We have one about 40m from our bedroom window at the moment - but a bit like living next door to a train line I'm starting to 'tune it out'.

Dicky.

[TonyW]

Noel, I hear these every day around our place but have never seen them. Good catches!

[IzzieK]

I have not seen these before...I do not think we have these in Melbourne or something...isn't this strange, usually it is the male that are beautiful and quite a character, here with this breed, it is the female which is nicer than the male...

[bnnrcn]

Nice series

[NiknoDave]

Very nice... Just been listening to the locals...

[casper]

When you first start hearing the call, imitate it and call back to him. He thinks it is competition and moves on - or so the theory goes.

Thanks, Greg. It might work. Another male is probably not the ideal mate.

[casper]

When you first start hearing the call, imitate it and call back to him. He thinks it is competition and moves on - or so the theory goes.

Thanks, Greg. It might work. Another male is probably not the ideal mate.

[casper]

Thank you John.

[casper]

hi Nandakumar. Thank you. Our visitor seems to spend most of his time in our fig tree, taking a bite out of each fruit.

[casper]

Good capture Noel, lucky to get the pair in one frame. We have one about 40m from our bedroom window at the moment - but a bit like living next door to a train line I'm starting to 'tune it out'.

Dicky.

Much appreciated Dicky. We're in luck this year, he didn't bring his raucous friend the Channel Billed Cuckoo - we often get them working in tandem.

[casper]

Noel, I hear these every day around our place but have never seen them. Good catches!

Thanks Tony. That's probably a survival instinct. Less understanding locals might like to cause them harm.

[casper]

I have not seen these before...I do not think we have these in Melbourne or something...isn't this strange, usually it is the male that are beautiful and quite a character, here with this breed, it is the female which is nicer than the male...

hi, Izzie. I have a slightly out of date bird guide that has their dispersion across NT and North Qld, then down the east coast as far as the Victorian border. So they would probably not get as far down as Melbourne. Thanks for commenting.

[casper]

Considering the obvious weather restrictions these have come out well.

Possibly I might consider cropping #1 slightly differently to lose some of the distracting background near the right side edge.

Thank you, Geoff. I agree regarding the crop. I think #3 suffers from the same problem along the lower quarter of the right edge.

[casper]

Very nice... Just been listening to the locals...

Thanks, Dave. Gotta love them.

Thanks also to Binnur, appreciate the comment.

[Kaye Leggett]

Love the third - a caption competition contender perhaps?