Flocking currawongs

[Penny Brockman <>]

Further to my previous post, I now live in Gloucester, north of 
Newcastle NSW, and each autumn a flock (20-30) of currawongs arrives in 
the district park for winter, much to the disgust of the local torresian 
crows. It takes a week or so for both sides to settle down and lower the 
noise levels.
They roost in nearby wooded hilltops. In the mornings they fly past, 
some dropping into my garden much to the disgust of the resident birds, 
and most evenings returning to roost in the same hill. A few stay around 
in summer but most leave.

On 27/10/23 11:44 am, Ross Macfarlane wrote:
> Ah, that explains why great mobs of pied currawongs would drive you nuts with their incessant 
> “kah-kah-wong!” calls at Zumsteins in the Grampians back in the day…
>
>   
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ross Macfarlane
>
>   
>
> From: Birding-Aus <> On Behalf Of Geoffrey 
> Dabb
> Sent: Friday, October 27, 2023 10:01 AM
> To: 'Casimir Liber' <>; 
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Flocking currawongs
>
>   
>
> Ah, the folk of the plains have much to learn about the birds of Australia's 
> high country. 'It breeds in forest country but in the autumn and winter is 
> nomadic forming large flocks.  This movement is largely an altitudinal shift 
> and large flocks appear in towns on the highlands during winter.'  (Ian Rowley 
> in Birds in the Australian High Country, Frith HJ, ed. 1969, 1984)
>
>   
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Birding-Aus < 
> <> > On Behalf Of Casimir Liber
> Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2023 11:35 PM
> To:  <>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Flocking currawongs
>
>   
>
> 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.
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