Australia’s answer to the nightingale has a loud, harsh grating call that is equally well-known. The call is sounded by “sentries” who post themselves around feeding flocks. The damage they cause to crops has led them to be regarded as a nuisance by farmers.They are considered a pest because they dig up seeds, eat ripening heads of grain and stock feed. They often damage stored hay and grain by opening sacks and plastic-covered bales, and chew installations such as wooden window frames.