F is for (fan-tailed) cuckoo, friarbirds and Winnie

 

cuckoo bird with striated wedge tail, sitting on branch
We have seen a few cuckoos but only have pictures of this one. Therefore, you will get more of this cuckoo! This cuckoo has a wedge shaped tail and yellow eye ring. This means it is the more common one.

 

cuckoo on branch, viewed from side

cuckoo looking downward


We have also seen the Eastern Koel and the Channel-billed cuckoo (the world's largest). See Australia's cuckoos. All are brood parasites, lying their eggs in other birds' nests. 

F is also for Winnie, the fuzzy raganuffin we are now pet sitting for in Lithgow, NSW. 

Lithgow is an old industrial town, prospering when the railway lines made it over the mountain and through the valley.

Finally, F could be for noisy friarbird (yet another honeyeater). Note the nice ruff and distinctive bump on nose. We found this one on our last trip this way.
bird with long beak and bump on beak, white ruff

Happy hunting of your own birds!

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