Storm Bird / Common Koel (forum)

Brendan starts with ...
This bird, the Storm Bird or Common Koel, (pic 1), that eats nearly all my mulberries, woke me up at 2.30am this morning! I'm sure he was just outside my window. The 'call' they keep going on about drives me mad. They just don't stop!
I can still hear him :-(

On the other hand, the Wompoo Fruit Dove (pic 2), also flogs a few mulberries, but he doesn't carry on like the Storm Bird.

I'll be glad when my mulberry tree has finished bearing fruit, I might get some sleep!
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 10th September 2010 7:33am

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About the Author Brendan
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amanda says...
Wow! that Wompoo is amazing! what a clash of colours hey!
Do you think some plastic snakes in the trees might help u to snooze?

Time: 10th September 2010 9:06am

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About the Author amanda19
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snottiegobble says...
Beautiful birds, mate. they bring life into our gardens. Maybe leave a small light on & hang old CDs in the tree. Every time the bird hops from one branch to another the CDs will swing a little & flash the reflection of the light. otherwise there are always earplugs. You have inspired me open a thread on our beloved birds. The photos must be taken personally!

Time: 10th September 2010 12:13pm

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Brendan says...
Have to agree SG, but trying to get close to either of these to take a photo is near impossible, but I'm leaving my new camera handy just in case :-)

Must tell you a little story about mr storm bird. He's in the mulberry tree years ago (as per usual), so I'm there too having a feed. We are eyeballing each other, so I move to the right, he moves to the left! So I move to the left, he goes to the right. This went on for about 10 minutes (I never had my new camera then :-( But it was fun. He wasn't going to leave me eat all the mulberries.

But yes, the CD's was plan 'B', thanks.

Time: 11th September 2010 6:46am

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Rachel says...
We have a storm bird that wants to make noise 24/7 and is eating all the berries on the palms I will also be glad when it moves on it is so annoying.

Time: 7th October 2010 12:17pm

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About the Author Rachel7
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micarle says...
I notice that all the other Birds chase the Koel, they must see it as a threat! I guess it is Migratory and only around for a short time calling last years young. There was one in my Loquot and the bower birds and currawong's were giving it a huge going over. I have also seen the other storm bird around my way..just the other day a huge Channel billed cuckoo was calling and flying in Circle's,, it was also making all the other birds restless...

Time: 7th October 2010 1:25pm

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amanda says...
Same frog a year later! (I know it's the same one cos' of it's missing toes) it's also in the same veg patch. I am always amazed to see frogs here - even in drought.

It's in the same veg patch - I hope it finds a "friend" :)
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 8th October 2010 11:21pm

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About the Author amanda19
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Phil says...
I actually look forward to the storm bird arriving here each year.
His call in the middle of the night I find comforting. I have many trees on my property to attract them. They only hang around through spring to early summer, then disappear. I believe they migrate from Papua New Guinea.

Time: 7th November 2010 12:14pm

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About the Author Phil12
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rosie says...
does anybody out there know how to get rid of a stormbird, we have one in the backyard that goes 24/7 i can't remember the last time i got a good nites sleep!!!

Time: 12th November 2010 11:52am

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About the Author rosie
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Brendan says...
Rosie, you could try a very bright torch in his eyes. That has worked for me before.
They're driving me mad here too, they usually go back to new Guinea after they've eaten all my fruit, around Feb or Mar.
Could also try a scotch night-cap or two :-)

Time: 13th November 2010 8:35am

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Bliksem says...
I have had limited success in chasing away koels with a 1 000 000 candle power spotlight, however I have found a laser pointer to work well. The hard part is finding them in the tree. The bird will likely return the next night, but if you can chase it often enough it may eventually stop returning. - Good luck.

Time: 20th December 2010 9:55am

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About the Author Bliksem
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mad says...
Great,Now I know what I

Time: 4th November 2011 11:11am

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snottiegobble says...
Com`on guys they cant be as bad as constant "DUFF DUFF" loud music from a noisy neighbour or continuous barking dog? I know which one I would shoot!

Time: 4th November 2011 4:48pm

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About the Author snottiegobble
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BJ says...
Or the neighbors 20 feet away playing Cold Chisel or UB40 songs on repeat for 4 hours!

Perhaps thats why I quite like birds, bats and possums making a ruckus through the night. Except the Curlew- they freak me out!

Time: 4th November 2011 8:12pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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Lydia says...
I have these birds at the moment. They are im possible to scare off! usually start around 1:30-3:30 in the morning! we have tried the garden hose, blower,loud noises Ect. they return within about 10 mins of chasing it away. Its starting to get to a point where we are gettinf less than three hours sleep! so unfortunatly we have started shoting them.. Quite sad really.

Time: 8th November 2011 10:29am

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danny says...
k

Time: 8th November 2011 10:55am

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micarle says...
Yeah, quite sad..and totally illegal!!!! If you were my neighbour i would report you in an instant!!!

Time: 8th November 2011 1:17pm

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About the Author micarle
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john says...
Oh, Danny you are a card. If you can hit a koel in a tree at 2am with a sling shot you deserve a commemorative plaque.

Time: 8th November 2011 2:30pm

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Xiem says...
LOL. It sounds like something Steve Martin would do; wander around in the dark in pyjamas at 2 am with a slingshot. A recruit for the loony bin should someone ring the police.

Time: 8th November 2011 2:49pm

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snottiegobble says...
its an awful shame when people choose to live in the countryside but cant tolerate its natural residents! After all the koels were there first! We have neighbours moaning about corellas preparing to leave their roosting tree in the mornings! Go & live with the D--- Heads in the big smoke if you cant get along in the bush!

Time: 8th November 2011 4:17pm

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KjW says...
We get the noisy sods in town to.

Time: 8th November 2011 9:09pm

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Kathy says...
I can imagine the sounds could be very disturbing. But I remember loving the sound when I heard it in Brisbane - the jacarandas were blue, the skies grey and the storm birds calling - there isn't a time of the year, for me, when all things conspire to be so absolutely Australian - well maybe the heat of summer, smell of eucalyptus and the sound of cicadas - or the intensity of blue and white on the beach and the smell of sunscreen - or ...
Mind you I don't remember the stormbirds singing incessantly though - I must have slept through it!
Here's the sound of male and female stormbirds: http://birdsinbackyards.net/images/audio/eudynamys-scolopacea.mp3

Time: 8th November 2011 10:18pm

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Xiem says...
A pity all posts are not the quality of yours Kathy.

Time: 8th November 2011 10:42pm

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KjW says...
2 storm birds have been going here since 2am and all we got was a light shower of rain :), and their still going :( ha

Time: 9th November 2011 6:50am

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snottiegobble says...
I wanted to hear what all the fuss was about Kathy, but it wouldnt play for me!
However I did get to see that the koel comes under the 'sorrows' group so maybe its a mournful song? Do I have to have Mp3 to play it?

Time: 9th November 2011 7:50pm

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About the Author snottiegobble
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KjW says...
SG, Kathy's link is to download the file which is an MP3 file, your windows media player should play it no problem

Time: 9th November 2011 11:01pm

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M Nash says...
I call them the Frugalugal bird.
Gives me memories of stumbling home at 4AM as a teenager. They actually help me sleep.
Takes me back to good times of loose women or waking up in someones garden

Time: 9th November 2011 11:13pm

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About the Author MNash1
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snottiegobble says...
Onya M Nash, weve all got memorable history! Some bird that was, hey?

Time: 10th November 2011 12:03am

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amanda says...
Funny about those memories M Nash...being an Immigrant - the first Aust bird I heard was a actually a kookaburra at the Perth airport...cliche - but I have never forgotten the day I embarked from that plane - stinking hot and smelling of gum trees and dry grass, back in '79. wow.

My best memory of a new life ever :)

Time: 10th November 2011 12:07am

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About the Author amanda19
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Xiem says...
I had always thought that I was the only person who had ever done that (ie wake up in someone's garden).

Time: 10th November 2011 9:04am

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Kathy says...
Amanda - what a welcome!
M Nash - what a delight!
Brendan - I think you might be lucky/unlucky enough to have a courting couple of birds - and hence all the noise - as the single (male???) stormbird just makes that one sound repeated - I think.
Xiem - thanks for the comment - though those thoughts were just called up by the memory of the storm bird - and this thread!
KjW - may it rain - perhaps that will mean the end of the courting?????
snottiegobble - do you have speakers? is the volume turned up?
Kathy


Time: 10th November 2011 1:44pm

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KjW says...
Most of you have probably already done a google search for information on the storm bird, but I thought I'd put this link here anyway.
http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Eudynamys-scolopacea
One thing I noticed this year, they turned up here in early October which is about a month later than they usually do.
Being a member of the Cuckoo family, I think they just keep courting and laying eggs in other birds nests.

Cheers
Ken

Time: 10th November 2011 2:12pm

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Scaredycatz says...
The storm bird we have in the neighbour's gazillion foot high Norfolk Pine in suburban Brisbane is driving us nuts!!!! I just hope he/she goes back from whence he/she came really, really soon.

Time: 12th November 2011 6:32pm

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BJ says...
Storm birds in Brisbane at the moment? HA!
Driest start to November on record (0mm rain), and not looking particularly inspiring in the forecast. Even the weeds are curling up their toes.
You'd think the 'storm' birds would go north or west and follow the storms?

Time: 12th November 2011 8:45pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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KjW says...
Their only the common Koel at the moment BJ, They don't become the Storm Bird until after we start getting storms... :)-

Doesn't matter what their called, their still very annoying with the constant calling day and night.
I've got about 4 of them around here...:(

Time: 13th November 2011 8:09am

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kbg says...
when your finished come over to my place ive had enough 2

Time: 19th November 2011 8:21am

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KjW says...
I'm with ya there kbg :), Annoying as they are, the only saving grace with them as far as I'm concerned is they aren't an introduced species.

Time: 19th November 2011 1:56pm

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Haddles says...
I can't see how anyone could get any enjoyment out of these animals. They are so loud. If you have one near to your house your life will be severely affected until they leave. I don't know where they get time to eat or sleep with their constant call. We had one in the neighbours tree and I tried sling shots and bright lights but it was just too high.
In the end we had to cut the tree down, a beautiful norfolk pine. The bird has moved about 500 ,etres away now. Still annoying but at least with the windows shut our street can now get some sleep. I feel sorry for the people near where it has moved to now.

Time: 20th November 2011 7:58am

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evaj says...
i have just found out that the bloody bird that won't bugger off that sits in the tree outside our luver windows is a koel. i'd take the sound of screaming kids and cold chisel (heaven forbid, even meatloaf would be better) over this stupid birds call any day. it's driving me nutso! i don't even know why it's hanging around. we have no fruit trees here, and it's not interested in the figs.


Time: 3rd January 2012 12:13pm

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snottiegobble says...
C,mon evaj, what about rap,or a 'duffduff' car owner, its gotta be better than that? try hanging some old CDs in your tree with a light shining on them!

Time: 3rd January 2012 12:30pm

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David says...
I think the contrary, they are beautiful birds ,love to hear them arrive in september and the last peals of joy as they dissappear in early april. Can i suggest some ear plugs(industrial strength).Ha Ha.

Time: 11th October 2012 9:11am

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BJMonty says...
Ear plugs, pfft. Forgot to mention that. even tried silicon ones too !
Ended up with an ear infection as they were too harsh on my inner ears as I kept pushing them in further and further to try and block out the noise.

Time: 11th October 2012 9:22am

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VF says...
Call me a bird brain then! Their song started late yesterday, and finally at about 3am this morning a storm passed through bringing with it the most beautiful rain (fantastic after 2 1/2 months without much - even just bought a tanker load of water yesterday.) I want to hear their song more often, I won't complain!

Time: 11th October 2012 9:31am

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MaryT says...
Try moving to where they are no trees and no birds; there are many such places in Australia now, and you don't even have to be in the city. BTW sg we are not all "D

Time: 11th October 2012 9:48am

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Bonny says...
Mad, your's is the funniest contribution that I have read in ages. I actually love the sound of the Coel and I do stand in Kathy's corner, but I'll be chuckling about your comment all day. Thank you for the imagery.

Time: 19th October 2012 11:01am

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