Black Currawong

Black Currawong

Strepera fuliginosa

Silhouette: Michael Scroggie · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
at Maria Island National Park

In 3 days >90%

328 Verified sightings at Maria Island National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,620 In all 3 parks
October Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Black Currawong

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 →

Sounds

Uncertain0:24

Australia · 2026

© JJSUN · XC1088805 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Crooning0:55

Australia · 2024

© Kristen Lang · XC972179 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song0:17

Australia · 2024

© nick talbot · XC864547 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
>90%
2 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~70%
3 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Hobart 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Black Currawong in Maria Island National Park?

Very likely

About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Black Currawong sighting in Maria Island National Park on a given day, based on 328 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 81 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Black Currawong in Maria Island National Park?

October

In that month about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Black Currawong in Maria Island National Park on a given day, against about 40% in April, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a Black Currawong?

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.

Is Maria Island National Park the best place to see a Black Currawong?

2nd of 3

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Black Currawong sightings, Maria Island National Park ranks 2nd at about 70%. The best odds are in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (Australia, over 90%).

Where does the Black Currawong sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Black Currawong is recorded against all the birds logged in Maria Island National Park (328 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.

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