Last Saturday we took a lovely young couple of new birder friends to our local Royal National Park for a walk and a lunch. At first it was fairly quiet with birds but quite noisy with Cicadas, as it is here mid Summer. We saw a good selection of species and my wife and I were glad to pass on some of our knowledge and experience which they appreciatively received. We always love taking interested friends birding, even if they are not birders. The sky was cloudy and bright with diffused light which did not favour photography, but the cream of the cake which I said to them earlier on the walk would be to see and hear a Catbird and Lyrebird. They had a glimpse of a female Lyrebird quickly crossing the track, but a much longer look at a young Green Catbird resting in a tree quite visible for over a minute, though as it was alone it did not call. Resting pose is usually standing on one leg.

Australia has two species of Catbird, the Green and the Spotted, though both are green and spotted, though facial features are different. The Green Catbird is found in the south eastern coastal rainforests of NSW and Queensland and the Spotted Catbird is found only in the rainforests of far north eastern Queensland, including the Atherton Tablelands. As you can hear above this was the first experience ( lifer) for our friend of seeing a Catbird in the wild. Compare the Spotted Catbird image taken in the Atherton rainforest here to the Green Catbird below.

You can appreciate from these images how difficult it can be to sight these birds when they stand quiet and still watching you from within a thick rainforest tree canopy where they blend in so well. On many other occasions we have recorded their calls which sound like cats meowing, women or children in distress among other things and caused considerable distress and terror to the early English settlers when they braved the dense rainforests. They use to go searching at night for what they thought was a lost child or woman until the local indigenous First Nation’s people told them it was a bird. Listen and compare Green Catbirds with Spotted Catbird calling to one another:

Green Catbird calling
Spotted Catbird calling

Catbirds have a dual syrinx, similar to Australian Magpies, which allows it to produce two different sounds simultaneously. The two notes give a distinct quality to their cry which is similar also to the Riflebird, which is another north eastern Queensland rainforest bird. You can hear the dual notes in these both kinds of birds.

Australian Magpie (race: tibicen)

It is not difficult to imagine how haunting, fearful and terrifying it would be for a person pioneering our rainforests for the first time, having come from a English/European country of quiet sunlit open light leaved forests and now trudging through very dark damp tall dark leaved treed rainforest with no trails to assist and hearing the cry of the catbird. You would be thinking is it a giant cat nearby that eats people, similar to a cheetah, jaguar or the American Mountain Lion to which it sounds similar.

Interesting as it is, the Catbird is actually a species of the Bowerbird family and the males draw, court and mate their females with a similar but very unique bower process, Catbirds like all other rainforest birds are mainly native fruit eaters of berries, figs and other fruits as well as grubs and insects they probe from under bark on trees. They tend to call more to each other during the spring breeding season. They tend to jump and bounce from branch to branch. Unlike other Bowerbird species, the Catbirds defend and care for the nest and help raise their young. Unlike other Bowerbirds, the male mates for life and devotedly offers food gifts to the female when courting, nesting and throughout their lives together. They can often be heard calling to one another.

Have a wonderful week and take someone birding with you to introduce them to the wonders of your natural heritage. It is amazing how much people appreciate the birds around them after having been on a bird walk and talk. My wife and I constantly receive comments like: “We never noticed birds or even looked for them before I met you guys ! Now I do all the time.” Bless your friends with a walk and talk in the fresh air and introduce them to our avian wonders.

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You may have become aware I talk a lot about overcoming fear,doubt, pride, unresolved anger, unforgiveness and selfishness. Doubt, Fear and Pride are motivators behind many of our irrational and destructive behaviours which often bring shame, blame, mistrust and disgrace to our lives. Sin (selfishness) produces no good or constructive thing in our lives, only love and selfless resilient devotion, similar to that modelled in parents and birds caring for their young. This is the example of God’s love for us, the way he meant our lives to be – caring, sharing, trusting, believing, courageous, faithful, forgiving and productive. A life that draws its strength and inspiration from the One who Created and formed each of us to enjoy the one life we have been given. The choice and many wise or unwise choices we make in life continue to lead us on various paths of growth or decline accordingly. The one truth often forgotten about pride, doubt and fear and the reason we fail is deception. The Devil and his cohort as well as the world and its selfish abusive influence are often silently lying to us, seeking advantage over us by use of the stealth of deception. Never before in history has this been more so than the social media network and internet where many take the daily pattern of belief and trust for their lives, instead of researching with wisdom and understanding the visible facts, which are recorded from a history of thousands of years, proving itself as it continues to be the world’s best selling and most read book – The Bible.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” – Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV)

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Posted on 22 By aussiebirder Australian Birds Posted in Australian Birds Tagged #, , , , , , , ,
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aussiebirder

My wife and I share a love of bird observing and bird photography which takes us all over Australia. We love sharing our experiences. Birds live in the beautiful parts of our country. We always get blessed with beautiful gifts of new birds and unexpected experiences each time we go out birding or just walking in the parks and reserves in our wonderful land. We love Australia, and the variety that each state and region offers in its wildlife and nature aspects. Join us in sharing our love. We have always found other birders enthusiastic and friendly people who appreciate the good things in life.

22 Comments »

  1. Hello Ash,
    I am imagine your friends had a very lovely introduction to birding thanks to you and your wife 🙂
    I can’t believe such sounds can come from those beautiful green birds. I too, would have been thoroughly confused. It’s always a joy to learn something new.
    Wish you and your wife a blessed weekend ahead!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Takami, yes our friends had a lovely time birding and fellowshipping with us as well as a lunch afterward. These birds have to be heard to be believed, their call is so loud and so spooky, one could imagine how it would have caused fear and terror in those who are unacquainted walking through the forest for the first time. Enjoy your weekend, may it be restful and peaceful.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Thanks for an interesting post Ashley. Those calls of the catbirds are unreal! You would never think a bird made those sounds. Those poor early settlers back in the day probably wondered what kind of place they had come to, with those freaky catbird calls and screeching Tasmanian devils in the night!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Sue, yes it would have been terrifying for the early settlers in the thick forests of both mainland and Tassie, especially at night, as they did not yet have well established trails. It is quite a treat to hear the Catbirds communicating or fleeing the attack of Currawongs in the rainforest. Enjoy your weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Kathy, yes it was a lovely time spent encouraging this novice young birder couple. We love taking different people out on our birding dates and enjoying a walk talk and fork time with them. We love sharing our wisdom and they love learning.

      Like

  5. Good to have some good weather, a pleasing place and good friends to share it with.

    The rich green of the Catbird would make it difficult for an untrained eye I suspect.
    What a great call, and multi-toned.

    Be interesting to spy on the mating rituals.
    Hot weather, dreadful fires and few birds about at present.
    Sadly the Little Desert National Park has been devestated by uncontrollable fires. Such a rich birding area will be but a shadow for a long time I think.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks David, yes the green is quite dense and almost looks like a plastic coat. They are very sneaky birds to locate as they perch very still and peer out of the sub canopy at you. They see you but you not them easily. They have an interesting mating ritual which I did not go into detail over concerning food gifts and a stage which allows the right amount of light through which the male decorates with fruit and flowers. It does vary considerably depending on available resources. So sad to hear about Little Desert, we loved being at the park. I wonder of the lodge survived ? they were lovely people and made us quite welcome. I noticed you have tried commenting two different ways. This one is your usual but you did try another one with same comment. Should I approve the other, are you changing email addresses ? The cacophony of Cicadas have driven our birds away as well as heat and erratic weather also. Not a good birding season so far. Enjoy the rest of your week.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I’ve no idea what WP does, but it won’t let me comment if I’m logged in, so had to try to figure out some way to fool it. Even tried registering twice. I did cut and paste so that is why there are two, or three? the same

        Sadly the lodge at Little Desert was an early casualty in fires. Haven’t seen any advice about what they plan to do, if anything. Serious catasprophe, and something that proper forest management could have either avoided or at least diminished.
        Sheer negelect is not a management process.

        The Kingfishers here have had quiet a smorgasbord of cicadas of late.

        David

        Liked by 1 person

      • I don’t understand what is happening either David WP is causing me dramas as well. S sad about little Desert. Yes you could send some of your Kingfishers over here, the Cicadas are so loud they are driving both bird and human crazy in our local NP.

        Like

      • Hi Ashley. Trying of the iPad. The lodge at Little Desert was an early casualty. I’m not ur what they will do. The eternal conflict between no burns, slow burns and “controlled” burns has taken its toll. Non management is not management.
        It really is a huge loss of habitat.
        Anyway I’ll press send and see whst happens.

        Liked by 1 person

    • This is the second time I’ve tried to reply.

      I’ve no idea what WP does, but it won’t let me comment if I’m logged in, so had to try to figure out some way to fool it. Even tried registering twice. I did cut and paste so that is why there are two, or three? the same

      Sadly the lodge at Little Desert was an early casualty in fires. Haven’t seen any advice about what they plan to do, if anything. Serious catasprophe, and something that proper forest management could have either avoided or at least diminished.
      Sheer negelect is not a management process.

      The Kingfishers here have had quiet a smorgasbord of cicadas of late.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Donna, yes yours are different, I have seen some posted, they are very plain looking. The bright green of ours is almost like a plastic jacket on their backs and it makes them sooo hard to see when they silently stealthily and covertly watch you from their tree amid the thick rainforest leaves.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks for your welcome comment Karen, yes they are amazing sounding birds ans sometimes hard to believe a bird could make such a loud noise like a ferocious cat. Most people never see or hear them as they are usually found deep in the rainforest.

      I am impressed by your work and how you are helping people through the darkness of grief with the light you have gained through your past trauma. You are inspiring and I ponder how painful it must have been. Richest Blessings my friend. We possibly share some common goals.

      Liked by 1 person

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