BIRDS OF THE OPEN FOREST 
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14, Pied Currawong Strepera graculina Shaw 
grac-u-li -na — L., graculinus, like a graculus, jackdaw. 
Distribution. — Eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. 
Notes. — Also called Pied Crow-shrike, Black Magpie, and Mutton- 
bird. Congregates in flocks, small or large, according to the seasons of 
the year. Frequents all classes of country, its movements being influenced 
by the food-supply available ; derives its name from its call, “Curra-wong 
— curra-wong — curra-wack.” It is one of our worst bird pests ; apart 
from the damage it does in orchards and in spreading the prickly pear, 
it destroys countless numbers of useful species of birds, eating both 
their eggs and young. 
Nest. — A large, open, roughly formed structure, composed of twigs 
and sticks ; lined with rootlets, bark-fibre, and other fine materials. Usu- 
ally built in an upright or leaning forked branch of a tall tree, generally 
in inaccessible positions. 
Eggs. — Two to four, usually three, varying from pale brown to pale 
vinous-brown, faintly freckled, blotched, or streaked with darker shades 
of the ground colour. Breeding-season: September to January. 
15, Brown Currawong Strepera intermedia Sharpe 
in-ter-med’ -i-a — L., intermedins , intermediate. 
Distribution. — South Australia (Port Lincoln). 
Notes. — This is an intermediate form between the Black-winged 
Currawong and the Grey Currawong, with habits similar to both species. 
Nest . — Similar to those of the above two species. 
Eggs. — Similar to those of the above two species. 
16, Raven Corvus coronoides Vigors and Horsfield 
Cor-vus — L., corvus, crow: cor-on-oid f -es — Gk, corone, raven; -oides, 
from Gk, eidos , form = like. 
Distribution. — Eastern Australia to as far north as Rockhampton, 
southern Australia to Perth, and Tasmania. 
Notes. — In the breeding-season it is usually in pairs, but in the autumn 
and winter it is gregarious. Prefers open country where it spends most 
of the day, returning to the timbered areas at dusk. It is a particularly 
wary bird and difficult to approach. It is exceedingly destructive during 
the lambing-season, picking out the eyes of lambs. The call-note, usually 
uttered when in flight, is a loud and deep “Gwar-gwar-gwar-r,” varied 
with a shrill “Korr-korr.” This species is omnivorous, but prefers the 
flesh of animals; it also destroys large numbers of insects. 
Nest. — A large, open, rather deep structure, composed of sticks and 
twigs ; lined with strips of bark, grasses, hair, and wool. Usually placed 
in the forked branches of a tall tree. 
Eggs. — Four to six, pale green or bluish white, freckled, spotted, 
and blotched with blackish-brown and light umber, the markings being 
larger and more plentiful at the larger end. Breeding-season: August to 
December. 
