Pied Currawong

The Pied Currawong is a large songbird found across forest, woodland, and increasingly urban areas of eastern Australia, often seen in flocks especially outside the breeding season. Its plumage is predominantly black, relieved by clean white patches on the wings and tail tip, giving it a pied appearance in flight.

Body feathers are glossy black overall, with a distinct white patch formed by the primary coverts and base of the primaries visible on the folded and open wing, and a broad white tip across the tail feathers. The undertail coverts also show white, adding to the pied pattern when the tail is fanned. A pale yellow iris contrasts against the black facial feathering, a useful feature for close-range identification. The bill is heavy and slightly hooked. This combination of white wing patch, white tail tip, and pale eye readily distinguishes the species from all-black relatives such as ravens, which lack the white markings and have dark eyes.

Sexes look similar in plumage, with only subtle size differences between males and females. Juveniles are duller and browner overall with less crisp white patches, gradually acquiring the fully glossy black adult plumage with maturity. Molt is regular and does not create pronounced seasonal changes.

Pied Currawongs occupy forest, woodland, and increasingly parks and gardens in urban and suburban areas across eastern Australia. Some populations undertake seasonal altitudinal movements, moving from higher-elevation breeding areas to lowland areas in winter, while others are more sedentary.

This species has a varied diet including fruit, invertebrates, and small vertebrates or eggs, sometimes taken opportunistically at nests of other birds. It builds a large stick nest in trees. Its call is a loud, ringing, often two- or three-note whistled phrase, from which its common name is derived. Pied Currawongs can form large, mobile flocks outside the breeding season, particularly during seasonal movements.