Betrisher
Well-known member
- Jun 3, 2013
- 4,253
- 177
- Parrots
- Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
Butcher Birds are closely related to our Bell Magpies (which are quite different from N.Hemisphere magpies). Here's a video from YouTube:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAb-ObjIH4"]GREY BUTCHERBIRD SONGS 720p - YouTube[/ame]
This is the Grey Butcher Bird, which is the one that lives near us. There's another species called the Pied Butcher Bird which lives a few miles further inland. His song is rather nicer (IMHO). If you look at the end of the bill, you'll see a hook, rather like that of a shrike. Like shrikes (although they're not related), Butcher Birds will catch and hang their prey on a spike or thorn to come back to it later. Hence the name. It's a shame, really, because they're a beautiful-looking bird with the most ravishing song!
Just FYI, here's an Australian Bell Magpie carolling:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYEYc8Ge3nw"]Australian magpie singing - YouTube[/ame]
And just for good measure, here's an Australian Raven:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAc2pv2iLRI"]Australian Raven, up close .. and noisy - YouTube[/ame]
I've had friends from the UK almost fall over laughing at the sound our Raven makes. They think it sounds like some kind of death rattle out of an old Hollywood movie. You should hear a dozen or so Ravens calling to each other across the sky. It sounds really neat!
Forgot to add: I think I posted somewhere else that Butcher Birds are well-known for killing caged birds from outside the cage! They frighten the bird so much that it rattles around inside the cage, eventually coming within range of the BB's hooked bill. Mostly, though, they take small reptiles and mammals.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAb-ObjIH4"]GREY BUTCHERBIRD SONGS 720p - YouTube[/ame]
This is the Grey Butcher Bird, which is the one that lives near us. There's another species called the Pied Butcher Bird which lives a few miles further inland. His song is rather nicer (IMHO). If you look at the end of the bill, you'll see a hook, rather like that of a shrike. Like shrikes (although they're not related), Butcher Birds will catch and hang their prey on a spike or thorn to come back to it later. Hence the name. It's a shame, really, because they're a beautiful-looking bird with the most ravishing song!
Just FYI, here's an Australian Bell Magpie carolling:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYEYc8Ge3nw"]Australian magpie singing - YouTube[/ame]
And just for good measure, here's an Australian Raven:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAc2pv2iLRI"]Australian Raven, up close .. and noisy - YouTube[/ame]
I've had friends from the UK almost fall over laughing at the sound our Raven makes. They think it sounds like some kind of death rattle out of an old Hollywood movie. You should hear a dozen or so Ravens calling to each other across the sky. It sounds really neat!
Forgot to add: I think I posted somewhere else that Butcher Birds are well-known for killing caged birds from outside the cage! They frighten the bird so much that it rattles around inside the cage, eventually coming within range of the BB's hooked bill. Mostly, though, they take small reptiles and mammals.
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no offence Terry 
