Strepera graculina

2 Pied Currawong at Hughes, ACT

Strepera graculina at Hughes, ACT - 29 Dec 2019
Strepera graculina at Hughes, ACT - 29 Dec 2019
Strepera graculina at Hughes, ACT - 29 Dec 2019
Strepera graculina at Hughes, ACT - 29 Dec 2019
Strepera graculina at Hughes, ACT - 29 Dec 2019
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Identification history

Strepera graculina 4 Jan 2020 natureguy
Strepera graculina 2 Jan 2020 BIrdsinCanberra

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User's notes

Hi All, Do you think these currawongs are burns victims or diseased please? I have noticed them hanging around my house the last few days. Their heads seem to have the most damage. Although, if you look at the 4th photo you can see that currawong has some damage to its legs. I noticed one eating ants on the front path, it was just sitting there, but when it stood-up it had trouble walking. They are sticking around the house, hardly calling and looking when they hear other currawongs calling. Any suggestions about what to do please?

17 comments

CathB wrote:
   3 Jan 2020
I saw something similar in Cook today (sighting 4246912).
   3 Jan 2020
Hi CathB, Thanks for letting me know. I guess we are seeing currawongs coming from the fires. My two are still around the house and I noticed them taking some type of small fruits or flower buds of a tree this morning. Not something I have seen other currawongs do around my house. It maybe they are using Canberra as a place to recover. Thanks for letting me know about your sighting and I hope your currawongs are able to recover soon. Cheers
   4 Jan 2020
I'm not sure if they would have fled the fires but I just took a look at a currawong on the railing around our driveway (which I've seen there a number of times recently but had not taken any notice of till now) and it is exactly as you and Cath have described with the bare patches on the head and discolouration. Almost as though it has been singed.
natureguy wrote:
   4 Jan 2020
Interesting. We have a resident pair here which currently is raising 2 youngsters (they have now fledged). Also a pair of Grey Currawongs which seem fine. I haven't noticed any unusual plumages etc on any currawongs I have seen but will keep an eye out. Luke.
   5 Jan 2020
Hi Luke and Ryu, Many Tthanks for you comments. The currawongs are still around and I am being diligent in filling the bird bath. I have also started leaving out some dry dog food based on the book by Darryl Jones. I am hoping that may aid in the recovery. Many thanks as always for taking time to leave useful comments. I hope the year has started well for you both. Cheers, Jon
rawshorty wrote:
   5 Jan 2020
My resident pair looked worse than this about a month or so ago when they had one young. I had put it down to stress/lack off food. Now that they have no young to look after they are looking better but still not great.
rawshorty wrote:
   5 Jan 2020
Have posted a pic of my bird sighting 4247027 from a month ago.
   5 Jan 2020
I know there have been begging young my yard for about 2 weeks so that would match up and perhaps a more plausible explanation :)
   5 Jan 2020
Hi Ryu and Rawshorty, Many thanks for that information, especially the picture from Rawshorty. Does anybody have any historical info on this please? It would be interesting to know if this is a regular occurrence or something which happened this year; possibly because of things like the lack of rain, increased heat as well as smoke. Thanks very much for your information.
   5 Jan 2020
Sorry, I just thought it worth recording that I have not heard any pleading young around my yard so I am not sure if these birds are parents. As I don't know how far a Pied Currawong may roam looking for food, I am not sure if the young may be somewhere else. I am not discounting stress brought about by feeding young birds just noting I have not heard any young birds but I will keep an eye out. Thanks again for the discussion.
AlisonMilton wrote:
   5 Jan 2020
I'm wondering if the currawongs had chicks a month ago as per Shorty's photo. I'm no expert but I've noticed with my local magpies, that when they have young chicks the female seems to have a lack of head feathers. Likewise, the photos I just posted of my nesting Willie Wagtails, one of the pair has very few neck feathers. A natural occurrence during breeding - young chicks pecking at the neck of parents while begging for food??? Just a thought.
   5 Jan 2020
Hi Alison, Many thanks for the comment. I see what you mean. That would explain the localised loss of feathers around the head area. Many thanks again for taking time to post a very useful comment. Cheers
natureguy wrote:
   5 Jan 2020
Hi all, I have a pair of currawongs and also a pair of magpies that nest on our property each year. Currently both pairs have recently fledged young. I like to keep watch on these families as it is nice to see the youngsters reach maturity and watch the adults successfully raise a brood. I have never noticed the absence of feathers from any part of any of these birds, especially the neck, and neither on any other species. The behaviour seen in these sightings is interesting and it would be great to find out the cause of the missing feathers. Luke.
   6 Jan 2020
Hi All, Just did a quick Google search. This issues has been noted before in other parts of Australia as this forum post shows http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/forum/Pied-Currawongs-baldness. This post at a different forum goes along the lines of what Alison suggested but looks at Cuckoos as the culprit since the currawongs have to put their heads in the beak of the cuckoo - http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2014-01/msg00124.html (Maybe an increase in Koels is impacting the currawongs with more currawong nests playing host to Koels.) My currawongs are still hanging around but no sign of young and one of them does appear to have a leg problem, although this may be unrelated.
AlisonMilton wrote:
   6 Jan 2020
Thanks Kym. I've noticed the feather deterioration on the heads of my local magpies (particularly the females) around breeding season for many years,but have had an additional thought. It has also occurred to me that this may be caused by lice or bird mites. This said, maybe bird nests are a breeding site for these mites so the mite infestation for adult birds is worse during the breeding season as they tend to the chicks in the nest. The head is harder for them to rid themselves of these pests. Perhaps also why females seem to be more affected than males (from my observations).
   6 Jan 2020
Currawongs are not known to host Koels. Alison's suggestion seems plausible, I suppose it would be hard to remove mites from your head with a beak :) It could very well be a combination of stress etc making them weaker and more susceptible to disease/parasitism/mites.
natureguy wrote:
   6 Jan 2020
The birds could have also been harassed or had a fight with another bird. We have pet chickens and ducks and when we had a broody chicken our male duck would chase the chicken out of the nesting box and sometimes pulled out feathers. The poor chicken then had a bald area on the side of the neck as well as some pecking on the flanks. (We separated the ducks after this so that they stopped harassing the chickens). Maybe we can never be certain of the exact cause.

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Nearby sightings

Page 1 of 1 - image sightings only

Trichosurus vulpecula (Common Brushtail Possum) at Hughes, ACT - 13 Aug 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Trichosurus vulpecula (Common Brushtail Possum) at Hughes, ACT - 13 Jun 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Scopula perlata (Cream Wave) at Hughes, ACT - 8 May 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Calolampra sp. (genus) (Bark cockroach) at Hughes, ACT - 26 Mar 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Ocybadistes walkeri (Green Grass-dart) at Hughes, ACT - 12 Mar 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Pseudomantis albofimbriata (False garden mantis) at Hughes, ACT - 31 Jan 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Celaenia calotoides (Bird-dropping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 19 Jan 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Dolophones conifera (Wrap-around spider) at Hughes, ACT - 12 Jan 2021 by BIrdsinCanberra
Paropsisterna m-fuscum (Eucalyptus Leaf Beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 30 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Chrysodeixis eriosoma (Green Looper) at Hughes, ACT - 29 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Yoyetta robertsonae (Clicking Ambertail) at Hughes, ACT - 26 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Goniaea opomaloides (Mimetic Gumleaf Grasshopper) at Hughes, ACT - 25 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Lehtinelagia prasina (Leek-green flower spider) at Hughes, ACT - 23 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Nymphes myrmeleonoides (Blue eyes lacewing) at Hughes, ACT - 19 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Reticularia sp. (genus) (A slime mould) at Hughes, ACT - 13 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Tanychilus sp. (genus) (Comb-clawed beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 8 Dec 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Mordella dumbrelli (Dumbrell's Pintail Beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 28 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Maratus griseus (Jumping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 27 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Phyllotocus kingii (Nectar scarab) at Hughes, ACT - 27 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Pholodes sinistraria (Sinister or Frilled Bark Moth) at Hughes, ACT - 25 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Epidesmia hypenaria (Long-nosed Epidesmia) at Hughes, ACT - 21 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Zaprochilus australis (Twig-mimic katydid) at Hughes, ACT - 20 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Maratus griseus (Jumping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 14 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Geometridae (family) IMMATURE (Unidentified IMMATURE Geometer moths) at Hughes, ACT - 14 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Socca pustulosa (Knobbled Orbweaver) at Hughes, ACT - 13 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Ocybadistes walkeri (Green Grass-dart) at Hughes, ACT - 13 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Helpis minitabunda (Threatening jumping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 7 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Myrmeleontidae (family) (Unidentified Antlion Lacewing) at Hughes, ACT - 7 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Tropis paradoxa (Longicorn beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 7 Nov 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Opisthoncus grassator (Jumping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Helpis minitabunda (Threatening jumping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Dieuches sp. (genus) (A seed bug) at Hughes, ACT - 10 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Opisthoncus grassator (Jumping spider) at Hughes, ACT - 10 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Forficula auricularia (European Earwig) at Hughes, ACT - 10 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Ectosticta cleroides (Longicorn or Longhorn beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 5 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Pycnostictus sp. 1 (Confusing bandwing) at Hughes, ACT - 4 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Cebysa leucotelus (Australian Bagmoth) at Hughes, ACT - 1 Oct 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Araneus talipedatus (Slender green orb-weaver) at Hughes, ACT - 5 Sep 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Entomophthora sp. (genus) (Puppeteer Fungus) at Hughes, ACT - 23 Aug 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Helina sp. (genus) (Muscid fly) at Hughes, ACT - 2 Aug 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Melangyna viridiceps (Hover fly) at Hughes, ACT - 20 Jun 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Platyzosteria melanaria (Common Eastern Litter Runner) at Hughes, ACT - 3 May 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Badumna insignis (Black House Spider) at Hughes, ACT - 16 Apr 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Pseudomantis albofimbriata (False garden mantis) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Apr 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Onthophagus sp. (genus) (Dung beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Apr 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Phaulacridium vittatum (Wingless Grasshopper) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Apr 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Araneinae (subfamily) (Orb weaver) at Hughes, ACT - 27 Feb 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Pyralis farinalis (Meal Moth) at Hughes, ACT - 12 Feb 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Glenoleon meteoricus (Patch-wing Glenoleon) at Hughes, ACT - 20 Jan 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Gnaphosidae or Trochanteriidae (families) (Flat spider) at Hughes, ACT - 5 Jan 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Laxta granicollis (Common bark or trilobite cockroach) at Hughes, ACT - 3 Jan 2020 by BIrdsinCanberra
Trichosurus vulpecula (Common Brushtail Possum) at Hughes, ACT - 13 Dec 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Ellipsidion australe (Austral Ellipsidion cockroach) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Dec 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Steatoda grossa (Cupboard or Brown house spider) at Hughes, ACT - 11 Dec 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Psaltoda moerens (Redeye cicada) at Hughes, ACT - 10 Dec 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Pteropus poliocephalus (Grey-headed Flying-fox) at Hughes, ACT - 2 Dec 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Bibio imitator (Garden maggot) at Hughes, ACT - 22 Nov 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Porrostoma rhipidium (Long-nosed Lycid (Net-winged) beetle) at Hughes, ACT - 22 Nov 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Araneinae (subfamily) (Orb weaver) at Hughes, ACT - 19 Oct 2019 by BIrdsinCanberra
Psaltoda moerens (Redeye cicada) at Hughes, ACT - 29 Nov 2018 by BIrdsinCanberra

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