Seasonal and Diurnal Variation in the Calls of the Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor, Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus and Green Catbird Ailuroedus crassirostris in Brisbane Forest Park, Queensland

Abstract

Noisy Pittas and Green Catbirds showed a marked increase in calling associated with the breeding season and then declined to much lower levels in winter. Eastern Whipbirds had a peak of calling at the start of the breeding season but then maintained a relatively high level throughout the year. All three species had a peak of calling around sunrise which then declined during the day with a slight increase around noon and a greater increase at sunset. In Noisy Pittas, the secondary peaks at noon and sunset were much larger than in the other two species. Noisy Pittas, a suboscine in the suborder Tyranni, had a similar temporal pattern of calling to that found in oscines.