The Kookaburra or Laughing Jackass is frequently seen and 
heard, but the much smaller Sacred Kingfisher, of greenish-blue 
plumage, though not uncommon, is less often recognized. 
Five species of Cuckoo occur. The Pallid Cuckoo has often 
been called “the harbinger of spring.” In August and September 
its melancholy whistle, which ascends in half-tones, is constantly 
heard ; the call is made both when perched in some exposed 
position or when flying overhead ; usually the Cuckoo’s call is 
emitted when at rest, and is followed by angry and warning 
cries from many of the small birds, as also takes place when 
hawks fly overhead. The Fan-tailed Cuckoo comes sometimes 
in numbers in the autumn, but by the end of June, except for a 
few stragglers, it has disappeared. Its call, when heard here, is a 
short series of soft whistles with a downwards inflection, but 
in the forests of the eastern States it has several loud calls that 
are rarely heard with us. Of the two Bronze Cuckoos, the 
Horsfield Bronze Cuckoo is much the more numerous ; its short, 
whistly call ends with an almost wheezy note, much to the dis- 
comfort of all the small birds. The other, the Golden Bronze 
Cuckoo, is most often found in the deep gullies. The Black-eared 
Cuckoo is a rare visitant to the Park. It must be remembered 
that all these cuckoos foist the responsibilities of the rearing of 
their young entirely on various insect-eating birds. It may be 
that the incessant loud calls of most of the Cuckoos are intended 
to cause anxiety in the small nesting birds, which are thereby 
rendered fussy and excited and by their actions enable the 
Cuckoos to locate their nests. 
Of the Swallows, the Welcome Swallow and the Tree Martin 
are present throughout the warm weather. The Fairy Martin 
used to be much more numerous than it is now, its bottle-shaped 
nests hanging under railway culverts and in rock caverns. 
The Australian Robins really belong to the large group of 
Flycatchers and are only distantly connected with the Robin 
Red-breast of England, or the Robin of America, which is a 
true Thrush. Two of the Australian Robins are always to be 
found in the park. The Scarlet Robin, of which the male has a 
brilliant scarlet breast, black head and large white frontal patch, 
trim plumage and friendly habits, is one of the most familiar 
and popular birds in the State. The very much plainer and 
larger Hooded Robin has the male with neat white and grey-black 
plumage. In the autumn and early winter the handsome Flame- 
breasted Robin may pay a short visit. Instead of the black 
head-plumage of the Scarlet Robin, this one has a pleasing grey 
upper plumage, and the flame colour of the breast is carried 
right up to the chin. The fourth species is only an occasional 
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