The Pied Currawong: Australia's Intelligent and Controversial Black Bird

Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) - Image credit: Australian Museum

Introduction

The Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) is one of eastern Australia's most recognizable and polarizing birds. With its striking yellow eyes, melodious calls echoing "curra-wong, curra-wong," and bold presence in suburban areas, this large black bird is impossible to ignore. The Pied Currawong inspires complex emotions - some admire its intelligence and adaptability, while others view it as a villain for preying on smaller birds. Love them or not, Currawongs are highly intelligent, successful survivors that have thrived in the changing Australian landscape.

Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Strepera graculina
Family: Artamidae
Genus: Strepera (currawongs)
Common Names: Pied Currawong, Currawong

Name Origins

The term "currawong" is derived from the bird's distinctive call. Possible Aboriginal language origins include:

• garrawaŋ - Jagera language (Brisbane region) - most likely antecedent
• gurawaruŋ - Dharug word (Sydney Basin)
• yungang, kurrawang, kurrawah - Tharawal people (Illawarra region)

The name clearly resembles the bird's common call: "curra-wong, curra-wong"

Related Species

The Pied Currawong is one of three currawong species in Australia:

Pied Currawong (S. graculina) - Eastern Australia
Grey Currawong (S. versicolor) - Southern Australia
Black Currawong (S. fuliginosa) - Tasmania only

Currawongs are closely related to:

• Butcherbirds
• Australian Magpie
• All members of the Artamidae family

Genetic analysis confirms currawongs are a monophyletic group. The common ancestor of butcherbirds and currawongsdiverged from peltops between 28.3 and 16.9 million years ago.

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized, characterized by differences in size and plumage:

S. g. graculina (nominate form) - Sydney region north to Burdekin River, northern Queensland

S. g. nebulosa - Southeastern NSW, ACT, central Victoria

• Shorter bill, longer tail, larger wing
• Sooty black upperparts
• Smaller white wing patch
• Hybrid zone with nominate form in southern/central NSW

S. g. ashbyi (Western Victorian Pied Currawong)

• Critically Endangered
• Only ~250 breeding birds (2000 estimate)
• Threatened by hybridization with subspecies nebulosa
• Sooty plumage, long tail, short bill

Geographic Pattern: There's a steady change in morphology moving south:

• Lighter, more greyish plumage
• Larger body size
• Shorter bill
• More white in tail, less in wing

Physical Description

Size and Build

The Pied Currawong is an imposing bird:

• Length: 44-50 cm (17-20 inches), average around 48 cm
• Wingspan: 56-77 cm (22-30 inches), average around 69 cm
• Build: Robust, crow-like but slimmer with longer tail
• Weight: Variable by subspecies and sex

Size Comparison:

• Slightly larger than Australian Magpie
• Smaller than ravens (except Little Raven)
• Similar size to Pied Butcherbird but heavier build

Distinctive Features

The Yellow Eyes: The most striking feature of the Pied Currawong is its bright yellow eyes - unmistakable and mesmerizing!

Plumage:

• Overall: Mostly black or sooty grey-black
• White patches (visible in flight):
  • Under tail (undertail coverts)
  • Tips and bases of tail feathers
  • Small patch toward tip of each wing
  • White rump (most subspecies)
• Bill: Large, black, hooked tip
• Legs: Dark grey-black
• Booted tarsi: Legs feathered

Sexual Similarities:

• Males and females look very similar
• Female may sometimes be greyer on underparts
• Males have longer bills than females (reason unknown, suggests different feeding techniques)

Juveniles:

• Duller and browner than adults
• Less glossy black
• Develop adult plumage over time

Flight

• Undulating flight pattern
• White wing and tail patches distinctive in flight
• Long tail visible
• Graceful despite size

Distribution and Habitat

Geographic Range

The Pied Currawong is found throughout eastern Australia:

• Northern Queensland
• Through New South Wales
• To Victoria
• Absent from Tasmania (replaced by Black Currawong)

Also found on:

• Lord Howe Island (endemic subspecies with distinct, more melodious call)
• Various offshore islands in Queensland
• Some islands they've colonized relatively recently

Habitat Preferences

Natural Habitats:

• Forests and woodlands
• Eucalypt forests
• Rainforest edges
• Mountain ranges

Adapted Habitats:

• Suburban areas (highly successful adaptation!)
• Urban parks and gardens
• Farmland
• Towns and cities

The Pied Currawong has become extremely well adapted to suburban living and is now common and familiar throughout its range.

Movement Patterns

Altitudinal Migration:

• In northern range: Sedentary (stay year-round)
• In southern range: Altitudinal migrants
  • Higher elevations (mountains) in spring/summer for breeding
  • Move to coastal lowlands in autumn/winter
  • Recent change: Many pairs now staying on coast year-round to breed

Flocking Behavior:

• Outside breeding season: Form large flocks
• Breeding season: Seen alone, in pairs, or family groups
• Winter flocks can be quite large and noisy

Population Boom

The Pied Currawong has experienced dramatic population growth:

• 1960s: ~3 million birds in Australia
• 1990s: ~6 million birds (doubled!)
• Population continues to increase
• Expansion into suburban and coastal areas
• Colonization of areas previously unoccupied

Vocalizations: The Melodious Calls

Main Calls

The Signature "Curra-wong":

• Loud, distinctive call: "Kadow-Kadang" or "Curra-wong"
• Ringing, far-reaching throughout territory
• How the bird gets its name!
• Crow-like but more melodious

The Wolf Whistle:

• Loud, high-pitched whistle
• Transcribed as "Wheeo"
• Similar to human whistle

Other Vocalizations:

• "Sing, song, saang" - rising, falling, rising again
• Deep croaks
• Various fluting notes
• When in large flocks: medley of calls creating cacophony

Vocal Behavior

• Very vocal birds
• Call when in flight
• Call at all times of day
• Noisier:
  • Early morning
  • Evening before roosting
  • Before rain

Flock Noise: With so many currawongs calling at once, especially in late afternoon, they can be extremely noisy!

Lord Howe Island Subspecies: Has a distinct, more melodious call than mainland birds.

Diet: The True Omnivore

Seasonal Diet Changes

The Pied Currawong is a true omnivore with diet varying by season:

Spring:

• Bird eggs and nestlings (peak predation)
• Adult birds
• Insects

Summer:

• Lots of insects and invertebrates
• Larvae and caterpillars
• Some fruit

Autumn/Winter:

• Mainly berries and fruit
• Seeds
• Less reliance on animal prey

What They Eat

Animal Prey:

• Small birds - eggs, chicks, and adults (notorious!)
• Small lizards and skinks
• Insects and larvae
• Caterpillars
• Spiders and invertebrates
• Small mammals (up to size of young possum!)
• Carrion (dead animals, roadkill)

Plant Material:

• Berries (major food source)
• Fruit
• Seeds

Particularly Love: Fruit from introduced weed species:

• Privet
• Lantana
• Camphor laurel
• Other exotic fruiting plants

Feeding Behavior

Foraging Techniques:

• Forage in foliage
• On tree trunks and limbs
• On the ground
• From ground level to treetops
• Dig larvae from under bark
• Hunt alone, pairs, or groups

The "Larder" Behavior: Prey may be stored in a 'larder':

• Hung on a hook or in tree fork/crevice
• Eaten immediately OR
• Over a period of time for larger prey
• Strategic food caching

Group Hunting: Currawongs occasionally hunt as a group for larger prey.

Beneficial Behaviors

Despite their controversial reputation, currawongs provide ecosystem services:

• Eat carrion (clean up roadkill)
• Control stick insects that can defoliate eucalyptus forests
• Seed dispersal (though often of weed species)
• Insect control

The Controversial Predator

Impact on Smaller Birds

Pied Currawongs are well-known nest predators:

Documented Prey: Scientific literature identifies no fewer than 27 native bird species fall prey to Pied Currawongs.

Predation Patterns:

• Take eggs from nests
• Kill nestlings and fledglings
• Kill adult birds (especially small species)
• Particularly problematic in urban areas where cover is scarce

Research Findings:

• 2001 study: Common introduced birds more at risk than common native birds
• Small birds like Superb Fairy-wrens especially vulnerable
• Impact varies by habitat and season

Growing Numbers, Growing Concerns

The dramatic increase in Currawong populations has been implicated in the decline of smaller bird species:

Why Numbers Increased:

• We planted their favorite food (exotic fruiting plants!)
• Adaptation to suburban areas
• Year-round food availability
• Less predation pressure
• Climate factors allowing coastal breeding

Conservation Concerns:

• Decline of small bird species in urban/suburban areas
• Loss of biodiversity
• Ecosystem imbalance
• Particularly concerning for rare or threatened small birds

Complex Relationships

Despite thousands of currawongs being shot in early 20th century for spreading prickly pear and raiding crops, populations have exploded - largely due to human modifications of the landscape.

Breeding and Nesting

Monogamous Pairs

Pied Currawongs are monogamous and form long-term pair bonds:

• Unlike many birds that pair for only one season
• Pair bonds extend across many seasons
• If partner dies, survivor may find new mate

Breeding Season

Timing: July to January (Australian spring and summer)

Territory:

• Maintain area of around 8 hectares
• Usually raise one brood per year
• Pairs defend territory

Nest Construction

Built entirely by the female:

Materials:

• Bowl of sticks
• Lined with grasses and other soft material
• Both sexes gather material, but female builds

Location:

• High tree fork
• Up to 20 meters above ground
• Well-concealed in foliage

Structure:

• Somewhat flimsy for birds their size
• Functional but not elaborate

Eggs and Incubation

Clutch Size: Usually 3 eggs

Incubation:

• Female incubates alone for 21 days
• Male feeds her during incubation
• Male provides territorial defense

Raising Chicks

Nestling Period: 30 days in nest

Parental Care:

• First week: Male supplies food to female, she feeds chicks
• After first week: Both parents feed chicks
• Both contribute to raising young

Success: With adequate territory and food, pairs successfully raise their brood.

Relationship with Humans

Historical Perspectives

Early 20th Century - Viewed as Pests:

• Shot for spreading prickly pear
• Killed for raiding agricultural crops
• Thousands killed

1941 Melbourne Advocate: One writer described the currawong as "Anxious-voiced with greed"

1944 Corowa Free Press - Different View: "Currawongs are edible and make a very tasty dish. Currawong soup, roast currawong, or currawong pie are all favored."

Modern Attitudes

Complex Relationship: Australians have decidedly mixed feelings about currawongs:

Appreciation For:

• Intelligence and adaptability
• Melodious calls
• Impressive birds
• Part of natural ecosystem
• Cleanup of carrion

Concerns About:

• Predation on beloved small birds
• Impact on biodiversity
• Growing numbers
• Nest raiding
• Dominance over other species

Interactions with People

Behavior Around Humans:

• Can be quite bold
• Walk along verandas
• Perch on clotheslines
• Sing from telegraph poles
• May form relationships with humans
• Can be friendly and interactive

In Suburbs:

• Common and familiar
• Often seen foraging on lawns
• Raid bird feeders
• May take pet food
• Generally tolerate human presence

Legal Protection

Currawongs are protected in NSW under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 and have protection in other states.

Behavior and Intelligence

Dominant Birds

Pied Currawongs are dominant birds:

• Can drive off other species
• Particularly when settling around human areas
• Aggressive toward competitors
• Defend food sources

Intelligence

Currawongs demonstrate high intelligence:

• Problem-solving abilities
• Food caching strategies
• Adaptation to urban environments
• Learning from experience
• Complex social behaviors
• Long-term pair bonds

Social Structure

Flocking:

• Congregate in loose flocks outside breeding season
• Winter flocks can be large
• Social hierarchy within flocks

Territorial:

• Breeding pairs defend territories
• Aggressive toward intruders
• Male provides territorial defense

Similar Species

Key Identification

The bright yellow eyes are diagnostic, but similar birds include:

Australian Magpie:

• Red-brown eyes (not yellow!)
• Prominent black and white plumage pattern
• White on back
• Different body shape

Pied Butcherbird:

• Very dark brown/black eyes (not yellow!)
• White markings on back
• Hooked bill
• Different size

Australian Crows and Ravens:

• White eyes (not yellow!)
• No white in wing or tail
• Larger, heavier build
• Different calls

Grey Currawong:

• Lighter grey overall plumage
• Lacks white rump
• Different range (southern Australia)

Black Currawong:

• Tasmania only
• Lacks white on rump
• Overall darker

Key to ID: YELLOW EYES + white in wings/tail + black bill with hooked tip = Pied Currawong!

Conservation Status

Status: Least Concern (extremely common)

Population Trend: Increasing dramatically

The Pied Currawong is one of Australia's most successful birds, with populations doubling over recent decades.

Exception: S. g. ashbyi (Western Victorian subspecies) is Critically Endangered with only ~250 breeding birds.

Interesting Facts

1. Population Explosion: Doubled from 3 million to 6 million birds in just 30 years!

2. Name Game: The word "currawong" mimics their call - onomatopoeia!

3. Larder Birds: Store prey in "larders" - hanging food on hooks and in tree forks.

4. Not a Crow: Despite appearance, more closely related to magpies and butcherbirds.

5. Changing Habits: Traditionally migrated between mountains and coast; now many stay coastal year-round.

6. 27 Victims: Scientific studies document at least 27 native bird species preyed upon by currawongs.

7. We Fed Them: Currawong boom largely due to humans planting exotic fruiting plants they love!

8. Sexual Dimorphism in Bills: Males have longer bills than females for unknown reasons.

9. Once Eaten: Early European settlers ate currawongs - described as "quite tasty"!

10. Lord Howe Singers: The Lord Howe Island subspecies has more melodious calls than mainland birds.

11. Long Bonds: Unlike many birds, pair bonds extend across many breeding seasons.

12. Controversial Success: One of few Australian birds doing better now than historically - but at cost to other species.

Observing Currawongs

Best Times and Places

Where to Look:

• Suburban parks and gardens
• Forest edges
• Woodland areas
• Urban areas with trees
• Perched on poles, wires, rails

When to Observe:

• Early morning (vocal)
• Late afternoon (noisy flocks gathering)
• Before rain (increased calling)
• Year-round (resident in north, seasonal in south)

What to Listen For

• "Curra-wong, curra-wong" - signature call
• "Wheeo" - wolf whistle
• Deep croaks
• Fluting songs
• Cacophony when in flocks

Watching Behavior

• Foraging on lawns for grubs
• Hanging around bird feeders
• Perching prominently
• Flying with undulating pattern
• Food caching behavior
• Interactions with other birds

The Conservation Dilemma

A Complex Challenge

The Pied Currawong presents a conservation paradox:

On One Hand:

• Native Australian bird
• Legally protected
• Part of ecosystem
• Successful adaptation to change

On the Other Hand:

• Contributing to decline of smaller bird species
• Population explosion due to human-caused changes
• Impact on biodiversity
• Ecosystem imbalance

What Can Be Done?

Individual Actions:

• Don't plant invasive fruiting species (currawong food!)
• Plant native species that support small birds
• Provide dense cover for small birds
• Remove environmental weeds
• Accept currawongs as part of ecosystem

The Reality: Currawongs are here to stay. Their success is largely our responsibility - we created the conditions they're exploiting.

Conclusion

The Pied Currawong embodies the complexity of human-wildlife interactions in modern Australia. This intelligent, adaptable bird has thrived in the changing landscape we've created, exploiting the exotic plants we've introduced and the habitat modifications we've made. Their distinctive "curra-wong" calls echo through suburbs and forests alike, a testament to their remarkable success.

Yet this success comes with consequences. As Currawong numbers have doubled, smaller bird populations have declined. The fairy-wrens, silvereyes, and other small species that once thrived now struggle in areas where currawongs dominate. This creates a profound dilemma - how do we view a native species whose population explosion threatens other natives?

Perhaps the Pied Currawong serves as a mirror, reflecting back the unintended consequences of our modifications to the Australian landscape. They didn't ask for privet and lantana; we planted it. They didn't design suburbia; we built it. They simply adapted - brilliantly - to the opportunities we created.

Love them for their intelligence and melodious calls, or resent them for raiding nests of beloved small birds - the Pied Currawong remains an undeniable presence in eastern Australia. Those striking yellow eyes watch us from telephone poles and tree branches, reminding us that in the complex web of urban ecology, there are rarely simple villains or heroes - only survivors adapting to a changing world.

The Pied Currawong represents both the resilience of native wildlife and the unforeseen consequences of human actions - a living reminder that every change we make to the landscape creates winners and losers, and the outcomes aren't always what we expect or desire.