Peg basket squatters

The Grey Shrike-thrush is one bird that seems to have adapted well to human incursion into its habitat. Many of us who have had them nesting in odd places around houses or sheds will relate to this story sent in by Rosemary from Strath Creek:

“Two years ago my peg basket became the home of a shrike-thrush, its mate and later two healthy youngsters. The washing was still pegged out only metres away but I had to find new storage for the pegs. The chicks eventually reached a size where they could crawl/hop along the clothes line to be fed (meanwhile the washing had a new home).
Then disaster struck! A feral cat took the youngsters one by one. We received a trap from the ranger and caught the cat, but it was too late for that year’s brood.
Last year the basket was hung in a more secure position but didn’t attract the birds.
However, now the adults are back once again.
Does anyone experience the same excitement and pleasure as I do in providing a safe space for the birds and observing the new inhabitants? It means I have to walk up the path to the other washing line, but it’s well worth the inconvenience!”

The Grey Shrike-thrush is actually neither a shrike nor a thrush, but is in the Whistler family Pachycephalidae (also known rather unkindly as the ‘Thickhead’ family), which contains some of our most beautiful songsters. To hear some of the shrike-thrushes wide repertoire click on the audio icon below.