# up close with a Tasmanian Currawong



## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

Well I was looking for a particular photo in one of our albums some time ago and I found some *AMAZING PICS DAVID TOOK*, _just_ before I joined ST and as they liked them so much and you all seem to love seeing our critters  Well, I HAD TO put these up. If you come to Tasmania, you can have this experience too. These were taken, sitting in our own car at the famous *CRADLE MOUNTAIN in Tasmania*, about 2 hours from us, where it snows. Man it was SOOOOO FREEZING THERE, never been so cold, only a bit of snow was on the highest mountains. 

It was our wedding anniversary and David had never seen snow. Also, we had never up till then, ever captured a rainbow on camera. 
But imagine my surprise when this happened

*The Currawongs in the car park actually come to you to be fed.* 









"Alright lady watcha got? Plain biscuit, well ok, it will do!"


Check this out!!!








"Righto, here is the deal, you FEED US NOW, or we will do your windscreens for ya for free!!!"


Now much do ya reckon I wanted to take this birdie home with me!!!!

And here's a rainbow thrown in for good measure too









"Are ya sure ya haven't got more, ok, how far it is to your place? Two hours, ok, well move over and I will hop in!"

We have Currawongs here on our property - and ravens. I love them! There are pics of Currawongs on Youtube and for those who haven't seen one, if you look close you will see they have white on their tail feathers unlike a crow or raven. 

hahah - I found this on Wikepedia - this is a pied version on the mainland but as you can see - they will stake you out. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Currawongs_carnarvon_gorge_1994_email.jpg
well that is an old pic and an old car, didn't I drive one of those when I was 18 - hee hee 
They like to keep in groups, family groups and keep low to the ground, flying short distances in the forests. Excellent birdie. 

love and light
Susan in Tasmania xxxx


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*oh and this is the BLACK Currawong, only found in Tasmania*

This site has some good clear pics for you. 

http://birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=311

Yes the one we have here is the BLACK Currawong. 
They are striking birds. Those eyes are fantastic. Actually the birdsinbackyard site above is very good for looking up Aussie birds. I don't always agree with what they say is a pest and what isn't (in fact I even wrote to them once to see if they would put up just a teeny weeny bit of positive info about Starlings - i.e. that they can talk, mimic, some have them as pets) but I did not persuade them. However, the site was linked to one of the Australian Museums here, one of our biggest in Canberra and I did actually get a request from them to donate for display, my latest children's book - which of course I was delighted to do, so it wasn't a wasted email after all. So yes, it is a good site with good pics.

love and light 
Susan in Tasmania xxxx


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

They look kinda scary to me


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

What a fantastic bird. I love crows (the only corvids I've had a chance to spend time with personally lol), and they do look like they act like them! How lucky you were able to get their pictures. Thanks for sharing.


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

What fabulous birds. Thank you for the pictures. I'd never seen one before you posted these. Their yellow eyes differ from the dark brown of crows and ravens and the bill looks a bit larger, but not much.

Margaret


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

What fascinating birds, Susan!! And QUITE beautiful!

They DO look like Crows and Ravens, except for the eyes and white feathers.

Do they "talk" people or just "bird?"

I REMEMBER snow! That's why I'm here in the Valley of the Sun!  

Thank you so much for the links and informative updates!

Love, Hugs and Scritches

Shi & Squeaks


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

That is one very cool bird, Susan  They look like they've attend 
international mooching conferences w/the ferals, they both do so well
moving in on the vehicle until the goods have been off-loaded  
You just have to love them and how lucky you are to have them on your
property, they really are awesome. Thanks for sharing.

fp


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*Gee I laughed at this comment*



feralpigeon said:


> That is one very cool bird, Susan  They look like they've attend
> international mooching conferences w/the ferals, they both do so well
> moving in on the vehicle until the goods have been off-loaded
> You just have to love them and how lucky you are to have them on your
> ...


I really laughed at this comment thanks so much FP. A ranger who upkeeps some of the forest rest stops and walking trails about 20 kilometres from here (and looks just like the SKIPPER from Gilligans island!) always has an apple in his pocket and he has shown us how he can whistle down a currawong and it will sit on him and eat the apple. I would think they most likely could talk 'our talk' though I have not seen or heard one. But with corvids like crows talking so well (and saying "ello Terry) **see former post** well I wouldn't be surprised. I will absolutely! post in any link I find of a talking Currawong if there is one. I too thought these birds were awesome, and they would have hopped into my car and sat on my shoulder if I let them. There is about 30 of them in the car park. I imagine night time meetings of them, discussing their day and their luck in robbing tourists of their lunch. They do not act aggressively and do take the food very nicely! LOL

love and light
Susan in Tasmania xxxx


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Susan, 

The pictures you took of the currawongs are fantastic. You're right, "LOVE THOSE EYES"!  Are they related to corvids, it would seem that they are and I'm too lazy to look that up right now, lol.

Those eyes are so striking, like glowing orange orbs in those very black feathered heads, gorgeous!

If you want snow and cold, come to Canada in January thru March.


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*G'day Brad*

G'day Brad

Yes - it is a member of the Corvid group! I didn't know how it was related so I just searched this info below out. 

firstly - here is a good site that shows you the bird and *you can hear it's distinctive call*

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/birds/bcurrawong.html

quote - 
Two other species of currawong are found in Australia. The Grey Currawong, S. versicolor, lives in Australia's south, *while the Black Currawong, S. fuliginosa, is restricted to Tasmania*. Both of these species differ from the Pied Currawong in lacking white on the rump. The Grey Currawong is variable across its range, grey in the east, blacker in Tasmania and browner in the west, with regional differences in the amounts of white in the wing. Another Australian species that is sometimes confused with the Pied Currawong is the Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen, although the two are quite different in plumage. The Magpie has a grey and black bill and a red-brown eye. The Australian Magpie also has large areas of white on the body.

end quote

and this is interesting, *it says this is a member of the subspecies of the artamidae family *

quote - There are two subfamilies: Artaminae, the woodswallows, are sombre-coloured, soft-plumaged birds that have a brush-tipped tongue but seldom use it for gathering nectar. Instead, they catch insects on the wing. They are agile flyers with large, pointed wings and are among the very few passerine birds that soar. One sedentary species aside, they are nomads, following the best conditions for flying insects, and often roosting in large flocks.

*The cracticids*—currawongs, Magpie, and butcherbirds, subfamily Cracticinae—*are more obviously members of the broader corvid group*. They have large, straight bills and mostly black, white or grey plumage. All are omnivorous to some degree: the butcherbirds mostly eat meat, Magpies usually forage through short grass looking for worms and other small creatures, currawongs are true omnivores, taking fruit, grain, meat, insects, eggs and nestlings.

The cracticids, despite their fairly plain, utilitarian appearance, are highly intelligent and have extraordinarily beautiful songs of great subtlety. Particularly noteworthy are the Pied Butcherbird, the Pied Currawong and the Australian Magpie.
end quote

I hope this may be of interest to some!

love and light
Susan in Tasmania xxxx


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi again Susan, 

Thank you for the added information on the currawongs and their subfamilies. You've definitely got some unique and unusual wildlife/animal life etc down under.

But on the flipside, your country is so isolated from the rest of the world that some wildlife (outside of Australia) might seem a bit odd and fascinating to you as well. 

G'day to you too and don't fall into any coolabongs? Hope I wrote that right.


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*cheers for that mate!*

Very good indeed Brad

I wonder if you had a chance to see this? I put together a slideshow and posted it on here about 'being Aussie' and as it teaches and meantions a Coolabong tree - I thought you would enjoy it. It will also show you my home and some of those unique animals you mentioned. Indeed Australia but in particular Tasmania has animals that are so unique they are unbelievable almost. But I love all animals all over and love to learn about different birds and animals worldwide

so this is for you Brad! 
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/trowuttatwo/?action=view&current=asaussieasitgets.flv

love and light
Susan in Tasmania xxxx


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi AGAIN, Susan, 

LOL, I'm just viewing your video now. I actually meant a "billabong" that I hoped that you wouldn't fall into. And yes, I actually know this guy and this song. I have heard a better version however and specifically during the 2000 Olympics in Australia and I have the mp3 on my computer. I really do like that version of "Waltzing Matilda" that I have. 

I work at a hotel and just recently met _another_ Aussie from Brisbane. You folks are pretty devote countrymen/women.  We get a fair amount of Australian visitors to Canada and they are always a pleasure. He was a very nice man with nothing but praise and pride for his country and rightly so! Australia is beautiful and although I've never been there myself, I've talked to quite a few "Aussies" online over the years and made friends with some. 

Thanks again.


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*the possum*

I should mention that the possum shown in that slideshow is called MARY ANN and *was named after a particular 'Mary Ann' on this board*. Mary Ann has her own baby now and I will be putting photos up here soon of that very special occassion. It is almost due to come out the pouch to ride on Mum's back. But that is a young 'Mary Ann'


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*You Are So Right !!*

The John Williamson 2000 version of Walzing Matilda (and give me a home amoung the gum trees) is in my humble opinion - THE BEST ever version and I too have the mp3 here on my pc. But for this slideshow, I wanted to use the Rolf Harris version as he 'talks through' the meanings of the words.

I knew what you meant Brad, I wasn't gonna pick you up on that small error. Your were close anyway, that is what grows over a Billabong!! So I would have been in the right place to 'fall in'.

Thanks for watching. I have many better slideshows showing our wildlife rescue, they are on here somewhere. One of my first 10 posts - it's all starlings and blackbird rescues here just now! 

love and light
Cooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee from me xxxx


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*friends*

I have some wonderful close Canadian mates. In fact one of my favourite bosses was Canadian and I loved the way he said "No problems!" - I am very used to Canadian accents. You are a great bunch of people!!!


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

theAussie said:


> I knew what you meant Brad, I wasn't gonna pick you up on that small error. Your were close anyway, that is what grows over a Billabong!! So I would have been in the right place to 'fall in'.


LMAO! Thanks for understanding and forgiving my faux pas.  That's french for mistake but you probably knew that, right? 

Anyway, you're an interesting person, from a land down under with all those unique animals.

I will try to check up on your posts more often in the future.


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