Pied Currawong

Strepera graculina

Family: Artamidae (Woodswallows, Butcherbirds, Currawongs, 15 species in Australia)
Size: 41-51 cm
Distribution: Southeast Australia within a few hundred km from the coast.
Status: Locally Abundant to Common
Habitat: Open and low open forest, woodland, scrub, agricultural and urban land
References: Simpson and Day, Reader's Digest

The Pied Currawong is one of the most commonly seen and heard birds in the areas where it lives. It is sometimes mistaken for the Australian Magpie, which is closely related (it is in the same family and subfamily) .However the Currawong is larger, has less white markings on it, and it does not attack people. It also has a yellow eye while the Magpie has a red eye.

Also unlike the Magpie, Pied Currawongs sometimes gather in huge "Currawong Parties", where as many as 100 birds will hang out together, making loud "wheeeeeeew wheeeeeee-EEEEEE-w" noises as well as theis usual call which (if you have a good imagination) sounds a bit like the word "currawong".

There is a different species, the Grey Currawong, which is similar but grey in colour rather than black.

Pied Currawong - Strepera graculina
Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW

Pied Currawong - Strepera graculina
Artwork: John Gould, 'The Birds of Australia', 1848. Original Scanned Image.

Some Birdwatching Resources

NEW: Birds of Australia: A Photographic Guide, by Iain Campbell, Sam Woods, Nick Leseberg, Geoff Jones (Photographer).

I bought this field guide recently (June 2020). As the name suggests, it's got photographs rather than line drawings. They are very high quality, clear photos. I've got so many field guides now, they have to be really good before I buy them (I got it from a physical book shop, so I was able to look through it thoroughly before deciding whether or not to get it).

From the publisher:

Australia is home to a spectacular diversity of birdlife, from parrots and penguins to emus and vibrant passerines. Birds of Australia covers all 714 species of resident birds and regularly occurring migrants and features more than 1,100 stunning color photographs, including many photos of subspecies and plumage variations never before seen in a field guide. Detailed facing-page species accounts describe key identification features such as size, plumage, distribution, behavior, and voice. This one-of-a-kind guide also provides extensive habitat descriptions with a large number of accompanying photos. The text relies on the very latest IOC taxonomy and the distribution maps incorporate the most current mapping data, making this the most up-to-date guide to Australian birds.

Covers all 714 species of resident birds and regularly occurring migrants
Features more than 1,100 stunning color photos
Includes facing-page species accounts, habitat descriptions, and distribution maps
The ideal photographic guide for beginners and seasoned birders alike

NOTE: This is the only field guide for Australian birds that I've seen which lists the size of each bird in both centimetres and inches. So if you're much more familiar with inches than centimetres, this would be the best Australian bird field guide to get just for that reason.

Purchase from Australia (The Nile)

Purchase from Australia (Fishpond)

Purchase from Amazon.com (USA Site)

Purchase from Amazon.com.au (Australian Site)

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