The Savage Sopranos

We’re having a sticky beak into the wild and wonderful world of the magpie’s lesser-known relatives: currawongs and butcherbirds. Don’t let their unassuming looks fool you. These birds have big personalities, even bigger voices, and a knack for being both vicious and sweet, often in the same breath. From haunting melodies to interesting table manners, we’re diving into what makes these Aussie songbirds so amusing and just a little bit f*cked. ____________________________________________________________________________ Patreon:   / thebackyardnaturalist   Instagram:   / the_backyard_naturalist   TikTok:   / ucgyu4yqc-p5l5m5ukaevhhg   ____________________________________________________________________________ Sources: Bass D.A. (1995) Contribution of introduced fruits to the winter diet of Pied Currawongs in Armidale, New South Wales, Corella, Australian Bird Study Association, 19(4) pp.127-132 Fulton G.R. (2019) Meta-analyses of nest predation in temperate Australian forests and woodlands, Austral Ecology, Ecological Society of Australia, 44, pp.389-396, DOI: 10.1111/aec.12698 Menkhorst P., Morley C. (2017) The Otway Forester Strepera graculina ashbyi: A neglected and misunderstood subspecies of the Pied Currawong from southern Victoria, Australian Field Ornithology, Birdlife Australia 34, pp.37-46, DOI: 10.20938/afo34037046 Parsons H., French K., Major R.E. (2003) The influence of remnant bushland on the composition of suburban bird assemblages in Australia, Landscape and Urban Planning, Elsevier, 66(1), pp.43-56, DOI: 10.1016/S0169-2046(03)00094-X Parsons H., Major R.E., French K. (2006) Species interactions and habitat associations of birds inhabiting urban areas of Sydney, Australia, Austral Ecology, Ecological Society of Australia, 31, pp.217-227, DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01584.x Readshaw J.L. (1966) The distribution, abundance, and seasonal movements of the Pied Currawong, Strepera graculina (Shaw), an important bird predator of Phasmatidae, in eastern Australia, Australian Journal of Zoology, CSIRO, Canberra, 16, pp.37-47 Spennemann H.R.D. (2020) Consumption of Canary Island Date Palm Phoenix canariensis drupes by Pied Currawongs Strepera graculina, Australian Field Ornithology, Birdlife Australia, 37, pp. 201-211 DOI: 10.20938/afo37201211 Bayly, Karen & Blumstein, Daniel. (2001). Pied Currawongs and the decline of native birds. Emu. 101. 199-204. 10.1071/MU00018. https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles... https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles... https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles... https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles... https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/Bird... https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publ... https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinio... https://www.hboc.org.au/wp-content/up... https://collections.museumsvictoria.c...