# Koel, very annoying bird



## awg (3 November 2009)

Is anyone else going crazy about these wretched things atm?

A very noisy sqwauking bird, that starts even before first light

man, I am talking even 3.30 and 4.30am

They are migrants from Indonesia, from Oct to March apparently

A large bird, blue black male, brown female.

I have a large red cedar tree outside my bedroom, and this bastard wakes me so often, I have adopted the following strategy:

*anytime I hear it in that tree, normal hours, I give it a hose blast up the clacker, now it knows I hate it, the torch will make it fly away, early AM.

If you think perhaps I am overreacting, check this thread, it also has a mp3 of the sound, if you suspect you may have the same pestilence

http://redwolf.com.au/column/opinion/2003/12/annoying_bloody_birds.html.

Cant remember ever having this problem before,, but they are everywhere atm, this morning, at 4.30am, I could hear many in the distance, due to the silence of early morning

btw, the radio said; first light 5.28am, well wrong buddy, you can see the faintest glimmer of light on the horizon at 4.30, and these koels sure dont miss it.

Am now about to Google, "make yr own flamethrower using home materials"


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## justjohn (3 November 2009)

AWG .....We've had a couple of these Koels calling for years ,didnt know what they were but the old fella up the back calls them the ''NEW GUINEA CUCKOO BIRD'' he said they come down from the FAR FAR FAR north and once they get here ,they start calling for there mate hence the repeated calling DAY and NIGHT.Thats not the end of it ,once they find each other there is this constant bickering between them once they are in the same tree.Dont worry AWG you will get use to them ,even our kids go around mimmicking there call:Must be a NSW Central,North Coast thing


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## Garpal Gumnut (3 November 2009)

awg said:


> Is anyone else going crazy about these wretched things atm?
> 
> A very noisy sqwauking bird, that starts even before first light
> 
> ...




They are a beautiful bird and do away with the need for an alarm clock for redeye flights between late August/September and February around here.

Their call usually precedes Solly's first post on the Storm thread by about fifteen minutes, and I note they come just on dawn or a few minutes before. they usually quieten once their mates arrive.

We also have curlews about here that go all night.

Its a modern myth that we need to sleep on potions from 9pm to 7am. 

Sleep is good in between these wonderful birds' calls.

gg


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## ThingyMajiggy (3 November 2009)

Solution.


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## Calliope (3 November 2009)

When I was young we called them storm birds.They are a type of cuckoo and  lay their eggs in other birds' nests, especially crows' nests. They are raised by the crows and never see their parents. It is strange that they don't have any identity problems.


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## ThingyMajiggy (3 November 2009)

Calliope said:


> When I was young we called them storm birds.They are a type of cuckoo and  lay their eggs in other birds' nests, especially crows' nests. They are raised by the crows and never see their parents. It is strange that they don't have any identity problems.




Ahhh, no wonder the crows are flying around going Faaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrkk then!


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## prawn_86 (3 November 2009)

I used to have a big gum outside the window of my family home, in which the Gallahs used to nest during summer and wake me up at stupid times with their ruckus calls.

My solution was to get my old slug (pellet) gun and a couple mornings go out and shoot a couple of them (the gun hadnt been serviced/pressurised in years so didnt kill them, just startled the hell out of them). Then after a couple mornings doing that i could lay in bed, and the first time they woke me i would simply push the cocked, but unloaded, gun through my screen on the window, point it at them and shoot. The noise of it going off was enough to scare them away as they thought they were being shot at. After a week they were not as annoying


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## Garpal Gumnut (3 November 2009)

Calliope said:


> When I was young we called them storm birds.They are a type of cuckoo and  lay their eggs in other birds' nests, especially crows' nests. They are raised by the crows and never see their parents. It is strange that they don't have any identity problems.




They are commonly called Storm Birds in Townsville as well, which is not surprising given Manny's HMS Pinafore Show causes so much insomnia to unfortunate Townsville Stormers.

gg


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## nunthewiser (3 November 2009)

Tasmanian Native Hens 

The purest evil God ever shovelled guts into !

During mating season these buggers screech all night and day and god help any dog/cat/human that dares interfere with them , vicious lil sods will gang up and chase anything in there turf.

Believe me,speaking from experience one hazy night wandering my riverbank only to be set upon by 5/6 of these devil spawned creatures.


Cant even eat them, Not allowed to shoot them, cant even train them into psycho watch chooks as they cannot distinguish between friend or foe .


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## Julia (4 November 2009)

I've always known them as storm birds.  And yes, they're more annoying than any other bird I've ever heard, even crows.

The damn things start up when it's still quite dark and can keep it up all day long.  They only appear here during summer, and seem to favour the same place for a week or so, then **** off somewhere more distant for a while.

A humane solution, i.e. the kindest thing for all human beings, would be to eradicate the entire species, along with fruit bats.


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## Calliope (4 November 2009)

We shouldn't be too hard on the Koel. It fact we have much to learn from it's annoying behaviour. When the female deposits it's single egg in the host's nest it's whole future behaviour is programmed in that egg. It's first duty is to squawk the loudest in the nest and eat the most. If food is a bit short it will tip the legitimate nestlings out of the nest.

This bird will never see it's parents, it has no siblings and is essentially a loner with no peer pressure. It learns nothing from it foster parents, whom it treats with disdain.

In other words this bird doesn't give a stuff about anything except survival.


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## awg (4 November 2009)

Julia said:


> I've always known them as storm birds.  And yes, they're more annoying than any other bird I've ever heard, even crows.
> 
> The damn things start up when it's still quite dark and can keep it up all day long.  They only appear here during summer, and seem to favour the same place for a week or so, then **** off somewhere more distant for a while.
> 
> A humane solution, i.e. the kindest thing for all human beings, would be to eradicate the entire species, along with fruit bats.




Oh dear Julia, dont think I have ever seen a more virulent post from you

:


awg said:


> Am now about to Google, "make yr own flamethrower using home materials"




I did google above phrase, and blow me down with a feather, got heaps, including one EXACT match.

I might be toasting some pigeon ar$e soon folks!

http://www.google.com.au/search?cli...+with+home+materials&meta=&btnG=Google+Search

Warning: many of the methods suggested for flamethrowers are highly dangerous.

BTW, as soon as I posted this new thread, a koel landed in said tree, and started up, (they like sundown as well).

Took my yougest son out with me, as the Cedar is outside his room as well, and threw a rock at it, my old cricketing days served me well, almost a direct hit first go, and it flew off.

My place attracts large number of birds, as I have lawn surrounded by native, palm and fruit trees. Birds love red flowers and fruits, like palm seeds, and especially a massive mulberry tree, I have seen some rare birds feasting on Mulberries.

I can hear koels as I type now


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## RamonR (4 November 2009)

Eastern Whip Birds are more annoying for me.
At first light it goes to every window in my house and taps a few times before giving out one it sonic booms before moving on to the next window.


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## communique (4 November 2009)

Calliope said:


> We shouldn't be too hard on the Koel. It fact we have much to learn from it's annoying behaviour. When the female deposits it's single egg in the host's nest it's whole future behaviour is programmed in that egg. It's first duty is to squawk the loudest in the nest and eat the most. If food is a bit short it will tip the legitimate nestlings out of the nest.
> 
> This bird will never see it's parents, it has no siblings and is essentially a loner with no peer pressure. It learns nothing from it foster parents, whom it treats with disdain.
> 
> In other words this bird doesn't give a stuff about anything except survival.




I was also under the impression that the Koel female will also try and throw out the eggs of other birds in the nest.   No wonder these birds are appearing in greater numbers.


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## stevenc (5 November 2009)

I would rather listen to the sounds of birds calling all day then listen to my neighbour and her teenage children (imo who are destined for prison in the future) swear and abuse each other every day.


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## swm79 (5 November 2009)

speaking of bird calls...

does anyone know what this particular bird is called - i used to go on holidays to my family's house in Lismore/Ballina/Byron and around the creeks there generally as the sun was going down you'd hear this bird that sounded like a cat and made a noise like a loud "RRRRAAAOOOWWWWOOOO" 

it used to drive the dogs crazy

we always used to just call them "cat birds" but i'd be interested to know what they really are...


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## awg (2 December 2009)

RamonR said:


> Eastern Whip Birds are more annoying for me.
> At first light it goes to every window in my house and taps a few times before giving out one it sonic booms before moving on to the next window.




 weird!.. u have my sympathies

anyway, an update

my anti-koel method seems successful, touch wood

that being, hose water up the clacker

even though the air is alive with birdsong, and the koels are still about, none have dared using the tree directly out my bedroom.

seems they are able to learn


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## Calliope (5 September 2010)

Bad news for you awg. I just heard the first koel of the season.


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## Gringotts Bank (9 September 2010)

Sounds like the Indian Mynah bird, which is taking over in Melbourne.  They squawk like nothing else, eat everything in sight and basically eradicate all other bird life forms through sheer numbers and aggressive behaviour.

Sort of a good metaphor for multicultural Melbourne!


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## KoelHater (10 December 2013)

awg said:


> Is anyone else going crazy about these wretched things atm?
> 
> A very noisy sqwauking bird, that starts even before first light
> 
> ...




Hey AWG I know you have not been on this thread for years...but I enjoyed reading your posts and posts by others. I can so sympathise with you about this ******* bird. I have lost so much sleep over it and have spent the last few months trying to deal with sleep deprived. Even woke me up when I closed all windows, put ear plugs in to try and stop hearing the damned bird.

You are right about the water up the behind...that is the only thing that has worked for me too. Only thing is that he moved from my back yard tree to the neighbours, my hose does not quite reach it, but scares it off none the less. I read elsewhere that if you put some vinegar in a super soaker and wet the tree down with that, it stops them from landing in the tree, but it is a bit hard to go and do this to all the neighbouring trees.

Will have to try one of those sonic bird off products I think...so that is on the list with the shut up dog sonic thingo. 

I have had to leave my house because this bird has driven me crazy. I am in SE QLD and was going down to my parents farm near Coffs, was looking forward to a break from this effin bird only to be woken up at 4.30 am after getting to sleep at 2 am ...boy did a lot of things happen as I tried to get through the next day on no sleep.

Anway, glad others are driven just as crazy by this god forsaken bird too. Happy Hunting!


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## awg (29 October 2015)

Update.

seems these birds are mainly a problem in my area.."only in the hottest years" (quote from film Predator)

However, I have devised another effective counter-measure.

My Red Cedar is now almost 50ft tall, and bushy, protecting the Koel from water spray.

throwing small stones etc, and it just mocked me

Take a 600ml drinking water bottle, and filling about 25% full, lob the device exactly as a soldier is taught to hurl a grenade.

The 2nd throw struck what sounded a direct hit on the enemy, it flew away sqwaking with fury.

The plastic bottle will not smash anything on the follow-thru, if you miss

It now resides in a very large tree, in the far corner of my backyard, were it does not bother me, but may bother my neighbour down there, who isnt a very nice man..oh well


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## CanOz (29 October 2015)

awg said:


> Update.
> 
> seems these birds are mainly a problem in my area.."only in the hottest years" (quote from film Predator)
> 
> ...




lol... very funny

Another idea is to use a BB gun. Instead of using BB's or pellets, use pieces of carrot. They sting like hell but don't puncture the skin....well they didn't puncture my tender skin when i was 8 and big teen bully was pelting air powered carrot at me


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## awg (2 November 2015)

CanOz said:


> Another idea is to use a BB gun. Instead of using BB's or pellets, use pieces of carrot. They sting like hell but don't puncture the skin....well they didn't puncture my tender skin when i was 8 and big teen bully was pelting air powered carrot at me





Thanks for the thought-provoking and inspiring answer, hopefully I can turn your bad childhood experience into something +

may well build a pneumatic device, many such plans exist on the Internet, 
surely a vegetable-firing device can be built that conforms to the law ( I think the BBQ gas potato guns are illegal) ..Dammed effective though

I dont even know whether BB guns are still available and legal, as we had as kids,
was actually hankering after one of those $300 SKS that were about a bit later

Have had to get downright territorial recently, dogs coming on to my property trying to kill a pet rabbit we are looking after.

also had to launch a Jihad on cockroaches and snails


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## SirRumpole (2 November 2015)

awg said:


> Have had to get downright territorial recently, dogs coming on to my property trying to kill a pet rabbit we are looking after.




In my area the rabbits gang up and chase the dogs...


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## frugal.rock (1 September 2020)

The bird is so annoying, it's got 2 threads...


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