Gum blossoms, for example, provided a resource for great numbers of nectar-feeding honeyeaters. And as Low also points out, the presence of much nectar as a jealously guarded resource may be why so many Australian birds are raucously noisy – species such noisy miners, rainbow lorikeets and various wattlebirds.
Kookaburras
Native to eastern Australia and also introduced to the south-west and Tasmania, the Laughing Kookaburra is the heaviest type of Kingfisher and the country's most iconic bird.
Most complaints originate from the thunderous and vibrant chorus. The noisy miner, a native with a distinctive, high-pitched call also known as a 'squeaker', and the koel, a large cuckoo bird, are the most common troublemakers.
Here in Australia, we have our own nightingales: the Australian magpie whose iconic warbling is recognised throughout the cities and bush; and the lesser known, but even more prolific nocturnal crooner, the willie wagtail.
Birds make contact calls to keep in touch with each other, often while they're foraging for food. These sounds are usually short, quick, and quiet, though if birds get separated, they may make louder, more urgent “separation calls.”
Usually, the male birds sing songs or chirp at night time to seek a mating partner. It is bird culture that the male tends to sing at night the most melodious and complex songs to attract mates, i.e., female partner.
It can start as early as 4:00 a.m. and last several hours. Birds can sing at any time of day, but during the dawn chorus their songs are often louder, livelier, and more frequent. It's mostly made up of male birds, attempting to attract mates and warn other males away from their territories.
Echo the lyrebird appears to have learned how to perfectly replicate the sound of a wailing baby. The bird, who lives in a Sydney zoo, can also mimic a fire alarm and power drill, a zoo official said.
Fast facts: Pheasant Coucals mate for life and, unlike other Australian cuckoos, build their own nests and raise their chicks themselves. You might recognise the Pheasant Coucal by its distinctive 'oop-oop-oop-opp' call.
Barn Owls don't hoot the way most owls do; instead, they make a long, harsh scream that lasts about 2 seconds. It's made mostly by the male, who often calls repeatedly from the air. Females give the call infrequently.
Generally speaking, birds hate strong smells, shiny objects, and predators, both birds of prey or larger animals or humans within their vicinity.
Named for the often-heard “curra-wong” call, Pied Currawongs make a range of other vocalisations including loud ringing calls, gurgles and whistles.
Things to scare birds away
Predator statues such as lifelike scarecrows, owls, coyotes, snakes or cats that can be moved around every few days. Shiny objects such as old CDs, foil pans or silver reflective tape. Large colorful balls placed in the garden or from trees will look like eyes to birds. Flashing lights.
Blue whale
Their sirens can reach 188dB, louder than jet engine or grenade explosion. Sound carries further underwater, so the whales can be heard over 800km away.
The Northern Mockingbird is typically the culprit in these all-night song marathons. Mockingbirds that sing all night long tend to be young, still-unattached males or older males who have lost their mate, and so the best way to shut him up is to entice a female mockingbird to your yard, too.
The distinctive "booming" call of the male bittern was last heard in the Tees Valley in 1979. Now, RSPB Saltholme staff have heard the distinctive mating call of the bird for the first time since the reserve opened in 2009.
What Does a Kookaburra Call Sound Like? The laughing kookaburra of Australia is known for its call, which sounds like a cackling laugh.
"The regent honeyeater used to flock in its thousands from Queensland to South Australia, but now there are only around 300 birds left in the wild," Mr Griffin said. "We're releasing conservation-bred birds to boost numbers in the wild as part of a national effort to save this critically endangered species.
The Laughing Kookaburra native to eastern Australia makes a very familiar call sounding like raucous laughter. Their call is used to establish territory among family groups, most often at dawn and dusk. One bird starts with a low, hiccuping chuckle, then throws its head back in raucous laughter.
The bush stone curlew
This is a nocturnal bird that screeches during the night, but if you come across it in the day, it will freeze mid-action and hold the freeze for as long as it thinks it's threatened. Fascinating, but it's cry is ghastly.
Sadly the hummingbirds are not a group of birds that ever reached Australia. They are restricted to what is known as the “New World” which encompasses the Americas and surrounding islands and countries.
Ah, the Asian koel. Even if you don't know this cuckoo bird by name, you'd probably know it by its distinctively aggravating call: that loud 'ku-oo' sound waking you up early in the morning.
Birds Perform Loudest in the Morning
They warm up, to help ensure that when it's their time to shine, they perform at their best. Duke University researchers have discovered that birds do the same thing in the early morning, just as the sun is shining.