what bird is this ?

[scott s]

I wasnt sure which section to pop this into, so this will do !
This black bird of some description has been annoying the $^%*^& out of us for 2-3 weeks now, with its incessant call.
Its not a crow or magpie, i thought it was a currawong, but someone else said its not. It has a distinct call that doesnt match any i have heard on the net.
these were the best shots i could get with the 200m and 1.4 tele, from a nice stable footing on a 14ft trampoline !

ps - does anyone have a large sling shot i can borrow !!

[ATJ]

Can't really see it well enough.

How large is the bird? Larger than, smaller than or the same size as a pigeon?

What does it call sound like?

If it is smaller than a pigeon, it could be a blackbird (introduced), a chough, or even a drongo.

[scott s]

bigger than a pidgeon, about magpie size. just grabbed one (worst photo ever taken ) with the crappy 80-300mm lens and TC from the next door neighbours yard, but got put off by the local highway patrol bike which pull in to set up a radar trap from behind the shrubs !!
it makes a single sort of " graaaaak" sound, over and over again !! bright red eye, and flys off from police motorcyclists too

additional: i suspect it is a spangled drongo.

[ATJ]

My guess is a koel. All black, red eye. Maybe a tad smaller than a magpie (mainly because it isn't as solidly built). Call is a sort of woo ee oo (going up at the end). Like someone is trying to attract your attention.

This link has an mp3 of the call: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/ ... .cfm?id=54

[scott s]

arrrrrggh, that noise. its definatley a keol then. thats all we hear all day, the first part of its call...
thanks for that !!