Not sure if anybody in the urban areas of Sydney have noticed, (or if its just me) but there seems to be more currawong activity than usual. Actually, I've only seen them in the rural areas of Sydney, and these few weeks are the first times I've seen them in my suburb. Well, yeah, that's all I wanted to share; have you guys noticed, and what's your opinion on the Currawong? :)
Well, I don't live in Sydney, but I know that there have been more currawongs in my backyard than normal. They are aways more prolific in winter here in QLD; however i'm not really sure why? Maybe it's because there is more of the food they eat?
I can think of a couple of reasons for an increase in a bird species numbers. There may well be others.
One is that changed conditions attract the species. E.g., a change in habitat.
A second is that there has been a decline in a population of a competing species.
Any others anyone?
In the past five or so years I have noticed an increase in the Pied Currawong population in suburban Sydney, haven't seen a Grey Currawong for many years though.
Just the other week I seen a Pied Currawong join the Silver Gulls and Feral Pigeons next to Sydney Town Hall joining the fight for scraps from lunch time shoppers. Also spotted one down at Haymarket too, so they are also in the CBD.
Like Ravens and the Sacred Ibis they are also opportunists and will eat anything and suburbia offers easy pickings for them...
The cheeky and group/family orientated Noisy Minah has surged in population in the last decade in Sydney too.
I registered an account just to comment on this. Today while I was standing outside my resident magpie came to say hello, followed closely by 3 currawongs who chased him away. The currawongs are real bastards. There have been way too many of them this year, about 30, maybe more, and they are so awful, especially when they're defending territory. These flocks are extremely agressive to other birds and very noisy, screeching and carrying on all day. It was my understanding that the winter flocks break up in spring but so far this has not been the case. I know spring hasn't quite started yet but this is the first year that we have had such huge flocks. In the last few years we've only had a pair hanging around at this time of year and i've never noticed such large groups. It really does feel like a plague. I've added a link here to a video I took a few days ago in which you can hear the cacophany of currawong calls (which are quite pleasant in this clip, but they also spend a good deal of time just...screeching).
https://youtu.be/jp8y2qZqR-c
Have quite a number of Pied Currawong's circulating around here, I think it's the time they seek a mate for the breeding season, as too the Wattlebirds which have been busy "courting" over the past few weeks.
My two resident Magpie's don't take any nonsense from the Pied Currawong groups and diligently protect their patch, the male Magpie gave one Pied Currawong a "swoop knock down" the other morning. Used to have a Grey Currawong visit for breakfast but he/she has been absent for near three weeks now, must have moved on or getting a better hand out elsehwhere...
It's very easy to blame wildlife for their population changes. Often the real villains are the humans who so alter habitats that they encourage the population changes. So I'm wondering if there's a need to look a little deeper than the Pied Currawong cacophony. That way we're in a better position to rectify the real problems.
I believe the currawongs have been encouraged into the burbs at least partially due to abundant introduced berry-producing vegetation like Cotoneasters and Privets.