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Difference between revisions of "Pied Currawong" - BirdForum Opus

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;Strepera graculina
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[[Image:P8050703.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|IanC|IanC}}<br>Inverell NSW, [[Australia]], August 2007]]
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[[Image:Pied_Currawong.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Tom Tarrant]]
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'''Alternative names: Scrub Currawong; Pied Bell-Magpie; Pied Crow-Shrike; Black Magpie; Mountain Magpie'''
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;[[:Category:Strepera|Strepera]] graculina
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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The Pied Currawong is a large, mostly black bird, with a bright yellow eye. Small patches of white are confined to the under tail, the tips and bases of the tail feathers and a small patch towards the tip of each wing (visible in flight). The bill is large and black and the legs are dark grey-black. Both sexes are similar, although the female may sometimes be greyer on the underparts. Young Pied Currawongs are duller and browner than the adults.
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[[Image:Pied-Currawong-fem-A9986W.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo &copy; by '''[http://www.birdforum.net/member.php?u=49168 Hans&Judy Beste]'''<br />Toowoomba Shire, [[Queensland]], April 2018]]
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44 - 50cm (17¼-19¾ in). A large, black passerine:
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* Mostly black plumage
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* Bright yellow eye
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* Small patches of white under tail, the tips and bases of the tail feathers
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* Large white patch on wing formed by white bases of primaries
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* Large black bill and legs
  
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Sexes similar, though females are greyer and slightly smaller than males. Juveniles are similar but brown.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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Pied Currawongs are found throughout eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to Victoria, but is absent from Tasmania.
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Found in eastern [[Australia]] and on Lord Howe Island.<br />
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Locally common.
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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Though crow-like in appearance and habits, it is only distantly related to true crows, instead it belongs to the family Artamidae, together with the closely related Australian Magpie and the butcherbirds.
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Forms a superspecies with Black Currawong and is sometimes considered conspecific.<br />
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Though crow-like in appearance and habits, it is only distantly related to true [[:Category:Corvidae|crows]]crows, instead it belongs to the family [[:Category:Artamidae|Artamidae]], together with the closely related [[Australian Magpie]] and the [[:Category:Cracticus|butcherbirds]].
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====Subspecies====
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[[Image:28923currawong.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|stoop|stoop}}<br>Girraween NP, [[Queensland]], [[Australia]], August 2006]]
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Six subspecies recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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* ''S. g. magnirostris'' from eastern Cape York Peninsula south to north [[Queensland]]
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* ''S. g. robinsoni'' in coastal ranges of north [[Queensland]] and eastern slopes of Great Dividing Range
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* ''S. g. graculina'' from eastern [[Queensland]] south to western slopes of Great Dividing Range, Blue Mountains and southeast [[New South Wales]]
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* ''S. g. nebulosa'' in southeast [[New South Wales]] tablelands and eastern [[Victoria]]
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* ''S. g. ashbyi'' in southern half of western [[Victoria]]
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* ''S. g. crissalis'' on Lord Howe Island and offshore islands
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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The Pied Currawong prefers forests and woodlands, and has become well adapted to suburban areas. Throughout its range it is common and familiar.
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Eucalypt forests and woodlands. Also in settled areas, farmland, country towns and green parts of cities.
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==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Outside the breeding season large flocks of Pied Currawongs form, but at most other times these birds are seen alone, in pairs or in family groups. In the north of their range they tend to stay in the same areas year round, while in the south, they may move from the higher areas to the lowlands, especially in the colder regions.
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====Diet====
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Feeds omnivorous: fruit, seeds, insects, small vertebrates (including young birds) or snails.<br />
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Pied Currawongs feed on a variety of foods including small lizards, insects, caterpillars and berries. They also take a large number of small and young birds, especially around urban areas where suitable cover is scarce. Larger prey, up to the size of a young possum, is also taken, and birds will occasionally hunt as a group. Prey may be stored in a 'larder' (hung on a hook or in a tree fork or crevice) and either eaten straight away or, in the case of larger prey, over a period of time.
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Forages by gleaning on ground and among foliage for insects and fruit. In winter sometimes in large groups.
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====Breeding====
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The Pied Currawong's nest is a bowl of sticks, lined with grasses and other soft material. The material is gathered by both sexes, but the female builds the nest, which is placed in a high tree fork, up to 20 m above the ground. The female incubates the eggs, and the male feeds her. The male also supplies food to the female for the first week after the chicks hatch and she feeds the chicks.
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Breeding season generally from August to December. A solitary and territorial breeder. The female builds a bowl shaped nest of sticks, lined with grasses and other soft material in a tree fork. Lays 3 - 4 eggs. The female incubates the eggs, and the male feeds her. The male also supplies food to the female for the first week after the chicks hatch and she feeds the chicks. Nest parasitism by [[Channel-billed Cuckoo]] recorded.
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====Movements====
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The main call is a loud "currawong", which gives the bird its name. Other frequent sounds include deep croaks and a wolf whistle.
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Movements are not yet well understood.
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====Vocalisation====
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The main call is a loud ''currawong'', which gives the bird its name. Other frequent sounds include deep croaks and a wolf whistle.
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<br />
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<br />
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{{Audio|Pied Currawong - Melbourne, Australia.mp3}}<br />
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Recording &copy; by {{user|Saxon0192|Saxon0192}}<br />Melbourne, [[Victoria]], [[Australia]], 15th February 2022
  
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug21}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}}
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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{{GSearch|Strepera+graculina}}
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{{GSearch|"Strepera graculina" {{!}} "Pied Currawong"}}
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*[http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&fid=69&bid=1218 View more images of this species on the ABID]
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Strepera graculina" {{!}} "Pied Currawong", video}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
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[[Category:Birds]]
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Strepera]] [[Category:Videos]]

Latest revision as of 13:59, 30 May 2023

Photo © by IanC
Inverell NSW, Australia, August 2007

Alternative names: Scrub Currawong; Pied Bell-Magpie; Pied Crow-Shrike; Black Magpie; Mountain Magpie

Strepera graculina

Identification

Female
Photo © by Hans&Judy Beste
Toowoomba Shire, Queensland, April 2018

44 - 50cm (17¼-19¾ in). A large, black passerine:

  • Mostly black plumage
  • Bright yellow eye
  • Small patches of white under tail, the tips and bases of the tail feathers
  • Large white patch on wing formed by white bases of primaries
  • Large black bill and legs

Sexes similar, though females are greyer and slightly smaller than males. Juveniles are similar but brown.

Distribution

Found in eastern Australia and on Lord Howe Island.
Locally common.

Taxonomy

Forms a superspecies with Black Currawong and is sometimes considered conspecific.
Though crow-like in appearance and habits, it is only distantly related to true crowscrows, instead it belongs to the family Artamidae, together with the closely related Australian Magpie and the butcherbirds.

Subspecies

Photo © by stoop
Girraween NP, Queensland, Australia, August 2006

Six subspecies recognized[1]:

  • S. g. magnirostris from eastern Cape York Peninsula south to north Queensland
  • S. g. robinsoni in coastal ranges of north Queensland and eastern slopes of Great Dividing Range
  • S. g. graculina from eastern Queensland south to western slopes of Great Dividing Range, Blue Mountains and southeast New South Wales
  • S. g. nebulosa in southeast New South Wales tablelands and eastern Victoria
  • S. g. ashbyi in southern half of western Victoria
  • S. g. crissalis on Lord Howe Island and offshore islands

Habitat

Eucalypt forests and woodlands. Also in settled areas, farmland, country towns and green parts of cities.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds omnivorous: fruit, seeds, insects, small vertebrates (including young birds) or snails.
Forages by gleaning on ground and among foliage for insects and fruit. In winter sometimes in large groups.

Breeding

Breeding season generally from August to December. A solitary and territorial breeder. The female builds a bowl shaped nest of sticks, lined with grasses and other soft material in a tree fork. Lays 3 - 4 eggs. The female incubates the eggs, and the male feeds her. The male also supplies food to the female for the first week after the chicks hatch and she feeds the chicks. Nest parasitism by Channel-billed Cuckoo recorded.

Movements

Movements are not yet well understood.

Vocalisation

The main call is a loud currawong, which gives the bird its name. Other frequent sounds include deep croaks and a wolf whistle.


Recording © by Saxon0192
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15th February 2022

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. 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

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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