Black Butcherbird vs Black Currawong

Black Butcherbird

Melloria quoyi

Medium168 gForest

The adult is black all over except for its beak which is black-tipped grey. Most juveniles are rufous-brown. Confusingly, some juveniles are black while some brown young birds may rarely retain their brown colour into adulthood. As the only butcherbirds with wholly black bodies, they are sometimes confused with crows or currawongs, from which they are distinguished by their gray and hooked bills.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Suzanne Muzic · CC BY 4.0

Black Currawong

Strepera fuliginosa

Large375 gForest

The black currawong is about 50 cm (20 in) long with an 80 cm (31 in) wingspan. The male is somewhat larger and heavier than the female; males of the nominate subspecies average 405 g (14.3 oz) to females' 340 g (12 oz). Male wings average around 27 cm (11 in) and tails 19 cm (7.5 in), while female wings average 25.8 cm (10.2 in) and tails 18.5 cm (7.3 in). Data for the two island subspecies is limited, but males of subspecies colei have been measured at 360 and 398 g (12.7 and 14.0 oz) with 26 cm (10 in) wings on average, and a female at 335 g (11.8 oz) with a 24 cm (9. Voice: The black currawong is a loud and vocal species, and makes a variety of calls. Its main call is markedly different from the pied or grey currawongs and has been described as a combination of alternating kar and wheek sounds, killok killok, or even akin to part song and part human laughter. Although often noisy when flying in flocks, it can be silent when seeking prey or thieving food.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: naturewatchwidow · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black Butcherbird and Black Currawong.