Currawong

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Currawongs are three Australian birds in the genus Strepera: the grey currawong, the pied currawong, and the black currawong. They are medium-sized songbirds in the family Artamidae. They look a lot like crows and ravens, but they are only distantly related to them.

Appearance and where they live
Currawongs are dark gray to black with long tails and large bills. They have yellow eyes and white on their wings and tails. They live in forests, woodlands, and often in towns across Australia.

What they eat and how they behave
Currawongs are omnivores. They forage in leaves, on tree trunks and branches, and on the ground for insects, larvae, fruit, and sometimes nestlings of other birds. Their flight is undulating (they bob as they fly). They can be dominant in an area and may drive off other birds. They often move into towns in winter and travel in loose flocks.

Nesting and caring for young
The female builds the nest and incubates the eggs. Both parents feed the young. The nests are sometimes a bit flimsy for birds of their size.

Classification and origins
Currawongs are part of the Cracticidae family within the larger group Malaconotoidea. They are not true crows or ravens. Genetic studies show the three currawong species form a single group, with the black currawong possibly diverging first from the common ancestor of the grey and pied currawongs.

Name origin
The name currawong comes from the call of the pied currawong. The word may have roots in Indigenous Australian languages, such as Jagera garrawaŋ or Dharug gurawaruŋ.

Protection
Currawongs are protected in New South Wales under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

A note from 2021
As of September 2021, one currawong had been visiting the same property in the Barrington Tops area for over eighteen years.