I was excited to hear Noisy Friarbirds at Manly Dam park in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. I haven’t seen these birds in the area before — they’re more common further north and west.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve heard the unforgettable sounds that these birds make. Today I managed to take some photos. In the video, you can hear the odd sounds made by the Noisy Friarbirds amongst other bird calls, but you don’t actually see the friarbirds. They’re very hard to spot.

The first bird sound in the video is the chirping of Rainbow Lorikeets. The laugh-like cackle and chatter of the Noisy Friarbirds begins soon after the start, at about 0:02. The lorikeets continue chirping throughout. In the background is the cackle of some Little Wattlebirds, which is similar to the friarbirds’ call but less varied in tone and style.

I did manage to snap a few photos of two friarbirds, though they’re quite blurry. This photo shows one of the friarbirds perched briefly out in the open:

Another friarbird was having an altercation with a Rainbow Lorikeet. The friarbird was the one to cede ground:

You can see some better pictures of friarbirds in my other posts, taken in other areas of Australia.

Common name: Noisy Friarbird
Scientific name: Philemon corniculatus
Approximate length: 30-35 cm
Date spotted: 26 March 2025 (summer)
Location: Manly Dam Reserve, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’42.5″S 151°14’54.3″E