Menoturals; Saturday Sounds Of Nature

A follow-up to last week's post; Well, the Kookaburras brought forth something very interesting that I wish to share with you before getting onto this week's bird sound. Sandra (aka the Madsnapper) commented that she liked this sound as it reminded her of jungle films. I thought it odd, as Kookas are only found in OZ and some in Papua New Guinea. They are not jungle birds, although may be in the denser parts of the Aussie bush as well as urban and open grassland - and certainly not to be found in any other setting. However, after a bit of an email tete-a-tete, Sandra forwarded THIS LINK - and I stood corrected! I clearly hadn't been paying attention. At least the article acknowledged the misplacement of the bird. It does say that OZ has some jungle in the NE... which is not exactly correct. What is found in Australia is Tropical Rainforest, which lacks the level of undergrowth and liana/creeper vegetation that is considered 'jungle'. (Did you know the word arises from Sanskrit जङ्गल/jangala, which actually refers to arid country?) 

My thanks, also, to reader and penfriend Joni, who brought the following to my attention - Hollywood really is a place of 'never mind the facts, run with fantasy'! (For non-Spotify listeners, click here.)

Now, for a bird that I did not hear every day, or sometimes, even once a week. But they were definitely around in the bush below my Asquith window, and I also heard them quite a bit in the nearby parkland. The Eastern Whipbird is notoriously elusive, though - often heard, seldom seen. I did get to see some with my naked eye, but never got any into my lens. It is a sound that cannot be mistaken for anything else. (Unless, of course, there is a Lyrebird nearby... more on that when we get to it!)

In this recording, you will hear both the male and female. He gives the whistle and whips. She will respond (mostly) with a 'chup chup tuu tuu' huskiness.