Graeme Chapman - natural history photographer - ornithologist

Bird calls / bird song
Brush Cuckoo

The five samples here cover most of the calls made by Brush Cuckoos in Australia. Sample 147-620 is the main advertising call of the male, a series of 6 to 14 slightly downslurred whistling notes gradually descending the scale. This is what is generally known as "the call of the Brush Cuckoo" and is certainly the one you will hear the most. I have examples of this call from many different areas in both northern and eastern Australia and it varies very little. There are two examples: 147-620 is from near Proston in Queensland and 098B-050 is from Lamington National Park in Queensland. Sample 100-300 is another call given by the male, in my experience, generally in the presence of a female. It is repeated a number of times, gradually becoming more frantic sounding. Often it is answered by the shrill trill of a female , or in sample 184-100 there are at least two females present. There are two types of female calls in this sample, the shrill trill (which begins the sample) and another call of four notes slightly descending the scale. I'm not sure which bird gave the last loud call of four notes slightly descending the scale - it sounds like a female to me, just much closer to the microphone. Sample 050-460 is the pleading sound of a nestling Brush Cuckoo in the nest of a Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren. Even at this stage you can hear the notes in each call slightly descend the scale.

339 Brush Cuckoo 147-620
339 Brush Cuckoo 098B-050
339 Brush Cuckoo 100-300
339 Brush Cuckoo 184-100
339 Brush Cuckoo 050-460

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