Fwd: Flocking currawongs

[Penny Brockman <>]

I lived in Wilson Street Darlington (near Redfern) from 1984 to 2003.  
From 1984 to 1992 Currawongs were absent in summer except for the odd 
one or two. I was away in the UK for 15 months 1990-1991, and on return 
was surprised at the arrival of a large noisy flock of Pied Currawongs 
making a racket in the lane back of my house mid summer 1992.  They had 
presumably realised that the pickings in town were much richer than 
wherever they had gone before for the breeding season. Evey year after 
they were present throughout the year in varying numbers.  Combined with 
Sydney University around this time cleaning up the shubberies in the 
university campus, it was very bad news for the superb fairywrens and 
other small birds. I remember seeing a currawong chasing wrens into some 
rather inadequate shrubs.

On 27/10/23 1:41 pm, Joan Rosenthal wrote:
> Hi. I'm in Drummoyne (Sydney) where there was a flock of Pied Currawongs
> about 6 weeks ago when trees in the (small!) Bob Smith Reserve were
> fruiting. I didn't try to count them but there were certainly more than 20.
> They were in and around the Reserve, very active and vocal, for at least 2
> weeks. When they had diminished the fruit supply the group diminished and
> dispersed, but about 6 are still in a much wider range around the area,
> very pleasantly vocal.
> Joan
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: Joan Rosenthal <>
> Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2023 at 10:05
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Flocking currawongs
> To: Casimir Liber <>
>
>
> Hi. I'm in Drummoyne (Sydney) where there was a flock of Pied Currawongs
> about 6 weeks ago when trees in the (small!) Bob Smith Reserve were
> fruiting. I didn't try to count them but there were certainly more than 20.
> They were in and around the Reserve, very active and vocal, for at least 2
> weeks. When they had diminished the fruit supply the group diminished and
> dispersed, but about 6 are still in a much wider range around the area,
> very pleasantly vocal.
> Joan
>
> On Thu, 26 Oct 2023 at 23:35, Casimir Liber <> wrote:
>
> > I'm in Sydney too and come to think of it, I don't recall seeing them
> > in flocks - maybe 2 or 3 at most together
> > Cas
> >
> > On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 8:57 PM <> wrote:
> > > Thanks Philip,
> > >
> > > I live in Sydney and never see flocks around my area.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > paul
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: Philip Veerman <>
> > > Sent: Monday, 23 October 2023 10:05 AM
> > > To: ; 
> > > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Flocking currawongs
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Hello Paul,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > That is a curious comment. I would say that having large flocks of Pied
> > Currawongs is entirely normal. They are rarely alone here. Where I am at
> > Canberra, a flock of 40 is about average for flock size, especially in
> > winter, when flocks that size or bigger are daily observations. During the
> > breeding season they disperse a lot more. Especially noisy in flocks, when
> > they decide to try to fight away ravens or owls or raptors.
> > > About Gold Coast, although I have spent a lot of time there too. I don’t
> > have any specific memory about them in flocks or not. As I am so familiar
> > with them, I would not think of it.
> > > Philip
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: Birding-Aus  On
> > Behalf Of 
> > > Sent: Monday, 23 October, 2023 9:43 AM
> > > To: 
> > > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Flocking currawongs
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > > I was at the Gold Coast last week and was interested to see large
> > numbers of Pied Currawongs flocking around a new building site at sunset.
> > > I have a photo, but I don’t think I can upload pictures on this chat
> > group?
> > > Probably 40 birds in all.
> > >
> > > I don’t remember ever seeing Currawongs flocking like this: is that
> > unusual?
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Paul.
> > >
> > > <HR>
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