Horsefield's bronze-cuckoo. Photo: Chris Tzaros.
Photo by
Chris Tzaros
Forget gold and silver. Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority is celebrating bronze this month as part of its ‘Year of the Wing’ community awareness campaign.
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Goulburn Broken CMA project officer Janice Mentiplay-Smith said the Goulburn Broken catchment was home to two, fairly commonly seen ‘bronze’ birds.
“The Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo is a species of cuckoo that inhabits Goulburn Broken catchment woodlands, rural and urban areas where it shimmers and shines in the sunlight as it takes to the air in search of a caterpillar dinner,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said.
“Interestingly, the bronze-cuckoo is known as a ‘brood parasite’ meaning when it comes to nest construction, it opts to take advantage of the hard work of others.
“When the coast is clear, the female darts to her chosen nest — often that of a superb fairy-wren or thornbill — and in a few, fast seconds lays her single egg. She departs just as quickly, before the guileless homeowners return.
“Before leaving she may even eject one of the other bird’s eggs to maintain the status quo.
“The unsuspecting host parents incubate the imposter egg which hatches within 12 days, usually before the other eggs, ensuring the imposter chick receives its unsuspecting host parents undivided attention.
“Like its biological parents, the newly hatched Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo chick is hard-wired for survival and may eject other eggs or chicks from the nest to eliminate the competition.”
A common bronzewing. Photo: Chris Tzaros.
Photo by
Chris Tzaros
The other bronze bird in the catchment is the common bronzewing, a member of the pigeon family.
It lives in a variety of habitats across Australia and has successfully adapted to life in the agricultural landscape.
“Known for its mournful, repetitive whooo-whoo call, the ‘bronzie’ is a beautiful bird,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said.
“Its gleaming metallic wing patches catch the light as it scours the ground for seeds and small pieces of vegetation.
“This ever-watchful, easily startled bird primarily eats wattle seeds, which highlights the importance of a healthy, shrubby understorey.
“Due to its ‘dry’ diet that is not supplemented by moisture-laden insects, it is never too far from a water source.”
Ms Mentiplay-Smith said both bronzewing parents incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.
“Interestingly, they produce ‘crop milk,’ a milky substance regurgitated from the ‘crop’ (an enlarged part of the oesophagus) to feed their young.
“Crop milk, also known as pigeon milk, is produced by both sexes of all species of pigeon.”
For more information about Goulburn Broken CMA’s ‘Year of the Wing’ community awareness campaign, go to: https://www.gbcma.vic.gov.au/
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