On Hearing A Gray Butcherbird

How nice for to hear on a sunny April day
In the eucalypt woodland just across the way
The bubbling song of a bird in a territorial display
With sharp hook on bill and in feathers of dark brown and gray

Not hard to recognize by sight or by song
Once seen and once heard you never again get them wrong
In gardens they seem to become relatively tame
Gray butcherbirds for them is their common name

But in their breeding Season they do not trust anyone as a friend
And they become aggressive with young to defend
Known to attack dogs , cats and people in their territory passing by
And they even attack aerial predators in the sky

With their hooked bills they kill and dismember small animal and small bird prey
And impale on tree spike to eat at mealtime every day
Hence the name of butcherbird as they are known
Territorial birds who have ways of their own

Their bubbling flute like songs always a joy to hear
They can be heard sing at anytime of year
Once seen and once heard you will know them again
Their beautiful song in the memory remain.