Search Help

Butcherbirds (Cracticidae)

Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) - HBW 14, p. 340

French: Grand Réveilleur German: Weißbürzel-Würgerkrähe Spanish: Verdugo Pío
Other common names: Scrub Currawong, (Pied) Bell-magpie, Pied Crow-shrike, Black/Mountain Magpie

Taxonomy: Corvus Graculinus Shaw, 1790, Sydney region, New South Wales, Australia.
Forms a superspecies with S. fuliginosa; sometimes considered conspecific, but differs in vocalizations. Geographical variation on mainland to some extent clinal, with general increase in size, decrease in bill size, greyer (less black) plumage, and decreasing white in wing and tail from N to S. Race nebulosa intergrades with nominate in N (from Mudgee S to Eden, in SE New South Wales ) and with ashbyi in SW (W Victoria), possibly completely overlapping latter race (especially in Grampian Range), and continued existence of "pure" ashbyi individuals uncertain. Descr.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Corvus Graculinus Shaw, 1790, Sydney region, New South Wales, Australia.
Forms a superspecies with S. fuliginosa; sometimes considered conspecific, but differs in vocalizations. Geographical variation on mainland to some extent clinal, with general increase in size, decrease in bill size, greyer (less black) plumage, and decreasing white in wing and tail from N to S. Race nebulosa intergrades with nominate in N (from Mudgee S to Eden, in SE New South Wales ) and with ashbyi in SW (W Victoria), possibly completely overlapping latter race (especially in Grampian Range), and continued existence of "pure" ashbyi individuals uncertain. Described race grampianensis (from Grampian Range, in W Victoria) based on juvenile specimen from intergrade zone; riordani (from near Geelong, in W Victoria) likewise an intergrade form. Six subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • magnirostris H. L. White, 1923 - E Cape York Peninsula S to about Laura (N Queensland), in NE Australia.
  • robinsoni Mathews, 1912 - coastal ranges of N Queensland on E slopes of Great Dividing Range (from Cooktown S to Ingham).
  • graculina ( Shaw, 1790) - E Queensland (from Clarke Range, just S of Bowen) S, inland to W slopes of Great Dividing Range, to Blue Mts and SE New South Wales.

     See all 6 subspecies
  • magnirostris H. L. White, 1923 - E Cape York Peninsula S to about Laura (N Queensland), in NE Australia.
  • robinsoni Mathews, 1912 - coastal ranges of N Queensland on E slopes of Great Dividing Range (from Cooktown S to Ingham).
  • graculina ( Shaw, 1790) - E Queensland (from Clarke Range, just S of Bowen) S, inland to W slopes of Great Dividing Range, to Blue Mts and SE New South Wales.
  • nebulosa Schodde & Mason, 1999 - SE New South Wales tablelands and E Victoria.
  • ashbyi Mathews, 1913 - S half of W Victoria (especially in Grampian Range) W of line between Ballarat and Cape Otway.
  • crissalis Sharpe, 1877 - Lord Howe I and offshore islands (including Admiralty Group).
About us | Contact us | FAQ | Permalink