Lord Howe Currawong
Encyclopedia
The Lord Howe Currawong (Strepera graculina crissalis), Lord Howe Island Currawong or Lord Howe Pied Currawong, is a large and mainly black passerine
bird in the Artamidae
family. It is endemic to Lord Howe Island
in the Tasman Sea
, part of New South Wales
, Australia
, and is a threatened subspecies
of the Pied Currawong
.
and palm forest
, especially along creeks and in gullies, as well as areas around human habitation.
. The birds forage widely throughout the island and offshore seabird colonies. They take small birds and the young of many birds, including domestic poultry, as well as seeds and fruits.
under Australia's EPBC Act
because of its small and restricted population and occasional persecution due to its predatory habits.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird in the Artamidae
Artamidae
The family Artamidae gathers together 20 species of mostly crow-like birds native to Australasia and nearby areas.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...
family. It is endemic to Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...
in the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
, part of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and is a threatened subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Pied Currawong
Pied Currawong
The Pied Currawong is a medium-sized black passerine bird native to eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. One of three currawong species in the genus Strepera, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian Magpie of the family Artamidae. Six subspecies are recognised...
.
Description
The currawong is similar to the other subspecies of the Pied Currawong. It is generally a black bird with yellow eyes, white on the wing, undertail coverts, the base of the tail and tip of the tail. Compared with the nominate subspecies of eastern Australia it has a longer and more slender bill, less white on the wings and tail, and a paler iris.Distribution and habitat
The currawong is restricted to the Lord Howe Island group where it inhabits the main island's native subtropical rainforestRainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
and palm forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
, especially along creeks and in gullies, as well as areas around human habitation.
Behaviour
The Lord Howe Currawong has a strong sense of curiosity, often following walkers on the island's tracks. They are aggressive during the breeding season and will swoop at walkers who approach their nests.Feeding
The currawong is a predator and an omnivoreOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
. The birds forage widely throughout the island and offshore seabird colonies. They take small birds and the young of many birds, including domestic poultry, as well as seeds and fruits.
Breeding
The currawong breeds in territories in the forest that contain a section of gully or watercourse lined with tall timber. It has been estimated that the island is large enough to contain 35-40 territories. The bird builds a cup-shaped nest of sticks and twigs, lined with finer twigs, in the outer branches of a tree, in which it lays a clutch of three light brown eggs, marked with darker blotches. The incubation period is 21 days and the time from hatching to fledging about 30.Status and conservation
In 2000 the population was estimated to comprise about 80 mature breeding birds. The taxon is listed as VulnerableVulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
under Australia's EPBC Act
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places...
because of its small and restricted population and occasional persecution due to its predatory habits.