The short-tailed, crow-like Black Currawongs (Strepera fuliginosa) represent the Pied Currawong in Tasmania. Like the Pied, they nest in isolated pairs in wetter mountain forests and high tablelands in summer and flock to wander more widely in autumn and winter.
Sometimes several hundred gather and move down to milder valley farmland then, visiting orchards, parks, and gardens for scraps. Although bounding about tree branches to poke and glean. The Black Currawongs spend much time feeding on the ground, even wading in shallow water and probing seaweed on beaches.
They eat carrion, insects, berries, and small vertebrates, sometimes wedging them in crevices to butcher. In-flight, they float high with the loose flapping wing beats and swoops characteristic of currawongs.
The other names of this bird are Black Bell Magpie, Black Magpie, Black Jay, Mountain Magpie, and Sooty Currawong.
The size of Black Currawong is about 475-495 mm. Both sexes are similar. But the black with a small white bar in primaries and white tips to wings and tail. The eyes are yellow along with the bill and the feet are black. The immature bird is a little duller, and the mouth is yellow.
The call of Black Currawong is rending, long-drawn rolling croak in identification, often in flight. Also soft croaks and whistles in ‘conversation’. The nesting and breeding seasons are August-December. The bird builds a nest laid bulky eggs normally 2 to 4 gray-buff blotched with red-brown and purple; oval, about 40 x 30 mm.
The distribution of Black Currawong in Australia is confined to Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands. No races and cups of sticks; were placed high in a forest tree.
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