A BIRD WITH A QUESTIONABLE REPUTATION
Australia is home to a plethora of unique and fascinating bird species, each contributing to the rich tapestry of the country’s biodiversity.
One such captivating avian part-time resident of New South Wales is the Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae).
These distinctive birds, known for their large bills and unique breeding strategy, add a touch of mystery and charm to the Australian birdwatching scene.
There are 12 species of cuckoos in Australia with the Channel Billed Cuckoo being the largest, not only in Australia but in the world.
Adults reach lengths of up to 63 centimetres (25 inches).
What immediately catches the eye is its impressive, slightly curved, and notably large bill, resembling that of a hornbill.
The plumage of these cuckoos is predominantly dark, with shades of brown and gray.
Their tails are long and graduated, contributing to their elegant appearance in flight.
In flight, their silhouette against the sky forms a ‘cross’, which leads to their other name of Crucifix Bird.
These cuckoos are primarily found in the eastern and northern parts of Australia, including NSW.
They inhabit a variety of environments, ranging from subtropical and tropical rainforests to open woodlands.
During the breeding season, Channel-billed Cuckoos may venture into urban areas, making them occasionally visible to bird enthusiasts in more populated regions.
Their call is loud and often referred to as raucous – you may hear them before you see them.
WHY THE BAD REPUTATION?
One of the most intriguing aspects of Channel-billed Cuckoos is their peculiar breeding strategy.
This strategy is the reason in the eyes of many they don’t have the best reputation.
Unlike many birds that build nests and raise their young, Channel-billed Cuckoos are obligate brood parasites.
This means that they lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, relying on the host birds to incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.
The chosen hosts often include larger birds such as crows, magpies, and currawongs.
The cuckoo’s eggs closely resemble those of the host bird, helping to deceive the unsuspecting parents.
Once hatched, the young Channel Billed Cuckoo quickly outgrows its foster siblings, often monopolizing the available food and resources leading to a decline in the survival numbers of the host birds young.
As the cuckoo babies mature their natural instincts kick in and they “fly the next” and join other Channel Billed Cuckoos as they fly north to tropical areas.
Generally, the Channel Billed Cuckoo doesn’t arrive until after host birds have fledged their first hatchlings, but the arrival of the Cuckoo does reduce second-round hatchlings.
This is not necessarily a bad thing as many bird species in Australia have the ability to reproduce far beyond the capacity of the environment to support their numbers.
In a balanced ecosystem, the Cuckoos help keep numbers of host birds sustainable.
Channel-billed Cuckoos undertake extensive journeys, flying thousands of kilometres between their breeding grounds in Australia and their wintering grounds in New Guinea and Indonesia.
The timing of their migration is closely linked to the changing seasons and the availability of food sources.
In areas where the habitats of host birds have been reduced, and the number of host birds as a result is limited or even threatened, the Channel Billed Cuckoo is considered to be a pest — but we would like to suggest that rather than destroy Channel Billed Cuckoos that others join us in protecting, enhancing and increasing natural habitats of threatened birds and animals.
While Channel-billed Cuckoos are not considered globally threatened, as you can deduct from the statement above, their reliance on specific host species for reproduction makes them susceptible to changes in habitat and the decline of potential host populations.
As such, the conservation of these unique birds is closely tied to the protection of their diverse habitats in NSW and beyond.
Please join us and support the work we do to protect these and other marvellous creatures.
Help us work towards their conservation and the preservation of their natural habitats.
We need your help to continue to protect precious habitats in New South Wales.
Save Our Woodlands has secured 4 significant tracks of land but funding is still needed for each.
Additionally, we are raising funds to build 4 km of wildlife-friendly fencing to keep stock out of precious and protected in perpetuity habitats of endangered and at risk species.
Save Our Woodlands is an environmentally conscious group of volunteers dedicated to preserving threatened birds, animals and ecosystems in the woodlands of New South Wales, Australia.
Only 15% of our woodlands remain, the rest has been cleared for agriculture.
Save Our Woodlands Inc. secures and protects woodlands in NSW and pays landholders, in perpetuity, to conserve, enhance and re-establish native woodlands on THEIR land, and to manage these woodlands, so they are maintained.
BUT we need YOUR help. Together we can bring about change. Please consider donating.
People tend to think that woodlands are “just bush,” consequently, over 85% of the native woodlands in New South Wales, Australia have been replaced by agriculture.
Donate $10 per month & help protect critical habitats. By doing so YOU will prevent further species from extinction.
Our work is only possible with your support.
