Alternative names: Black Bell-Magpie; Sooty Currawong; Sooty Crow-Shrike; Black Magpie; Black Jay; Mountain Jay
- Strepera fuliginosa
Identification
50cm (19¾ in). A large dark passerine, resembling a crow:
- Almost entirely black plumage (browner in older birds)
- White wingbar on underwing, sometimes also visible on upperwing
- Flight-feathers with white tips
- White-tipped tail
- Bright yellow eye
- Massive, black bill, slightly hooked at tip
Sexes similar, males are larger than females.
Juveniles are blackish-brown, streaked on breast, have a greyish-white bill and off-white pale areas of wing and tail.
Similar Species
Grey Currawong: which has white under-tail coverts.
Distribution
Tasmania and surrounding islands.
Taxonomy
Forms a superspecies with Pied Currawong and is sometimes treated conspecific with it.
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized[1]:
- S. f. fuliginosa:
- Tasmania (except northeast)
- S. f. parvior:
- Flinders Island (Bass Strait)
- S. f. colei:
- King Island (Bass Strait)
Habitat
Open temperate forests, woodland, scrub and heathland
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects and small vertebrates like lizards, birds and mice. Takes also some fruit and seeds. Usually seen foraging on ground. Scavenges at picnic grounds and farmyards. Known to cache food.
Breeding
Breeds generally from October to December. The nest is a large cup formed from sticks and lined with soft material. It is placed in a tall eucalypt tree. Lays 2 - 4 eggs. Known as strong nest defender.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black Currawong. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black_Currawong
External Links
- [http://www.arthurgrosset.com/ozbirds/blackcurrawong.html Arthur Grosset's Birds
Search the Gallery using the scientific name:
Search the Gallery using Black Currawong:
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
