The Pacific koel (Eudynamys orientalis), also known as the eastern koel or formerly the common koel, is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Grahamvale’s Josh McCarroll captured this image of the bird in his neighbourhood.
Photo by
Josh McCarroll
Goulburn Valley residents ‘lucky’ enough to have been graced by a rare Pacific Koel’s presence this migration season say the experience has been fascinating, but they’re ready for the birds to head home.
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“As for how I feel about the bird in my neighbourhood, I think it’s a great opportunity to experience new wildlife that’s not usually seen here,” Grahamvale’s Josh McCarroll said.
“However, its loud call can become repetitive over time, and when it’s close by, it can be quite overwhelming.”
This summer is the first Mr McCarroll has seen the cuckoo species that migrate to Australia from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia in the warmer months each year to breed before returning to Asia around Easter time.
This year The News has had reports from readers of the birds in Grahamvale, Kialla, Murchison and Shepparton’s The Boulevard estate and around the Rea St and Goulburn Valley Health area.
Mr McCarroll said the bird at Grahamvale arrived in November.
"It will be interesting to see if the bird returns next year, or if this is just a one-time occurrence,“ he said.
The several reported sightings (or hearings) in central Victoria suggest the birds’ behaviour appears to be changing.
Grahamvale residents Ian and Jan Almond have also heard the bird in the trees surrounding their property, sometimes as early as 4.30am when its call doubles as an unwelcome alarm clock to the retirees.
“We last heard it about two days ago,” Mrs Almond said on Boxing Day.
“It hangs around high up in the trees and makes a continual noise, but it’s hard to work out which direction it’s coming from.
“We’ve been hearing it quite regularly, we know when it’s around.”
Josh McCarroll captured this shot of the Pacific koel visiting Grahamvale for the summer.
Photo by
Josh McCarroll
As well as being active early in the morning, it also makes its high-pitched ‘coo-ee’ later in the afternoon.
The Pacific koel is often categorised as a rainbird or stormbird, as its call becomes more predominant before or during stormy weather.
The continual and arguably irritating calling comes from a male looking for a mate.
Josh Meertens, originally from Avenel, had never heard the koel’s sound before moving to Murchison.
He arrived in March and a Pacific koel turned up six months later, in September.
He said he’d have preferred the avian to visit a few more streets away from his residence.
“Its call seems to start quiet and gradually gets louder and louder, with the occasional one being higher-pitched,” Mr Meertens said.
“It does it in such a way that you can’t get used to it or zone it out like your average bird sound.”
He said he hadn’t heard the bird in a few weeks, so he assumed it had returned home.
When asked if he would like to see — or hear — it return next season, Mr Meertens echoed the sentiment of the Grahamvale residents: “Not particularly, I think I have heard enough.”
