Strepera fuliginosa
Silhouette: Michael Scroggie · PhyloPic
The black currawong (Strepera fuliginosa), also known locally as the black jay, is a large passerine bird endemic to Tasmania and the nearby islands within the Bass Strait. One of three currawong species in the genus Strepera, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian magpie within the family Artamidae. It is a large crow-like bird, around 50 cm (20 in) long on average, with yellow irises, a heavy bill, and black plumage with white wing patches. The male and female are similar in appearance. Three subspecies are recognised, one of which, Strepera fuliginosa colei of King Island, is vulnerable to extinction.
Within its range, the black currawong is generally sedentary, although populations at higher altitudes relocate to lower areas during the cooler months. The habitat includes densely forested areas as well as alpine heathland. It is rare below altitudes of 200 m (660 ft). Omnivorous, its diet includes a variety of berries, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. Less arboreal than the pied currawong, the black currawong spends more time foraging on the ground. It roosts and breeds in trees.
The black currawong was first described by ornithologist John Gould... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hobart | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Very likely
Over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Black Currawong sighting in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park on a given day, based on 1,211 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 49 birds we can rate there.
February to December
In those months over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Black Currawong in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park on a given day, against about 90% in January, the lowest month.
Between 4 and 7 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black Currawong sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Black Currawong sightings, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park has the highest daily chance: over 90%. Next come Maria Island National Park (Australia, about 70%) and Freycinet National Park (Australia, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Currawong is recorded against all the birds logged in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (1,211 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
