Pied currawong. Credit: Jon Harris

The pied currawong looks a lot like a black raven, but you can spot the difference by the currawong’s bright yellow eyes and white patches on the wings and tail. It is a medium sized bird growing up to 48 centimetres.

Where

Look for the pied currawongs in flight - they beat their wings in a slow, looping fashion, often folding them in entirely to glide between beats. During winter, they gather in large flocks of up to 100 birds.

You’re most likely to see them in forested areas of the park, foraging, nesting or sitting a few metres up in the trees. They are bold birds and can sometimes be caught foraging scraps from picnic spots quite close to people or even watching picnics waiting for food to be forgotten or left behind.

Feeding

Pied currawongs feed mainly on insects and fruit but will steal eggs and nestlings from other birds - and your food if you leave it lying around.

Breeding

The nest is a bowl of sticks, lined with grasses and soft material, built by the female high up in a tree fork. The female incubates the eggs, while the male gathers food for her to feed the chicks in the first weeks after hatching.

Sounds

The pied currawong can be quite vocal, and is noisier early in the morning, in the evening before roosting, and just before it rains. Its call is a caddow caddang sound.