Grey Shrike Thrushes

 The grey shrike thrushes have such a beautiful song

Once heard you will never again get it wrong

Their beautiful melodious whistling so flute like and clear

Among Australia's finest minstrels of the Spring of the year

Not the prettiest to look at birds of feathers mostly grey

And they are not plentiful one does not see or hear them every day

They are never to be seen in flocks and are often on their own

But they are not shy of people and to many are well known

In cup shaped nest of bark and grass in hollow of stump or fork of tree

The female lay white brown dotted eggs of four or two or three

In appearance and song unmistakeable from where trees are they are never far away

They eat worms and inscets and frogs on the ground and whistle to greet the day

From once you see and hear them you will know them again

Their beautiful flute like whistling in memory you retain

Unlike many species of birds of humans they are not that shy

They allow you get quite close to them before to the trees they fly.