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.