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Pied Butcherbird

(Cracticus nigrogularis)
Alternative names: "Black-throated Butcher-bird", "Black-throated Crow-shrike", "Organbird"
Size: 33-36 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Pied Butcherbirds can be found over most of the Australian continent, with the exceptions of the Pilbara region in WA, the Nullarbor and most of SA, as well as the southernmost parts of VIC and Tasmania.

Pied Butcherbirds are usually found in open forest and woodland.

Sightings

Pied Butcherbirds are common birds in the area around Narrabri, NSW. During their breeding season, their whistles are always audible over long distances.

During the summer months, they often retreat into bushland, because near farms and houses they have a hard time fending off attacks by Willie Wagtails. They are also weaker than Australian Magpies, which tend to dominate lawns and gardens.

Also seen by us in various locations in the Great Dividing Range and to the east of it, e.g. in the estuary of the Manning River near Old Bar, NSW.

Twitcher's tip

A Pied Butcherbird is most easily distinguished from an Australian Magpie when one knows that it has a mostly white body with black head and back, whereas the Australian Magpie is a mostly black bird with some white on its back. The black "bib" is the most prominent feature of the Pied Butcherbird's plumage.

Photos

Near-lateral view of a Pied Butcherbird

Close-up portrait of a Pied Butcherbird nicking a piece of chicken fat

Lateral portrait of a Pied Butcherbird

If, as an insect, somebody looks at you like that and you don't heed the warning...

... this is the logical end

Frontal view of a Pied Butcherbird adorning a flagpost

Lateral view of a Pied Butcherbird

Back of a Pied Butcherbird

Two birds practising their warble

Here a closer view of a bird issuing its territorial call

Pied Butcherbird that has found human leftovers in a park

Now seen starting a thorough cleanup operation; the bird was strong enough to carry away the whole piece of chicken meat when disturbed

Lateral view of an immature Pied Butcherbird after preening

Here another immature bird hunting from a post

Lateral view of an immature Pied Butcherbird

The same bird as above, now with an insect it has just caught

Here seen after turning around

Young Pied Butcherbird begging to be fed

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Nov Eggs: 3 - 5 Incubation period: 20 - 21 days Fledging age: 30 - 32 days

Pied Butcherbirds, especially females (who incubate the egss and carry most of the responsibility for caring for the chicks), are very protective of their nests. They are one of a few bird species that swoop on humans and they are not afraid of making contact and drawing blood to get their message across.

Nest

Type: Basket Material: Sticks, with grass and/or other soft lining Height above ground: 3 - 15 m

Eggs

Size: 32 x 24 mm Colour: Brown, with dark-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary Elementary unit: Pair

We have watched a Pied Butcherbird "butcher" a lizard by wedging it into a fork of two branches and then tearing away with its hooked bill (see photos above).

Like other territorial species, Pied Butcherbirds have a call that is used only at the crack of dawn to mark their territory. It took us a long time to find out which bird was issuing that call. The photo below shows the bird.

Pied Butcherbird marking its territory at the crack of dawn (about half an hour before sunrise) - left: original photo; right: digitally enhanced version to show the bird more clearly

Just like Australian Magpies, Pied Currawongs and other birds, Pied Butcherbirds are not strong enough to fight Willie Wagtails near their nests during the breeding season.

The following set of photos shows behaviour we have observed only once, when an immature Pied Butcherbird apparently begged to be fed by a Striped Honeyeater.

Immature Pied Butcherbird perched on a twig in a tree

Next thing, a Striped Honeyeater joins it, singing its song

Seconds later, the young Pied Butcherbird starts begging for food...

Food

Like all members of the Cracticus family, Pied Butcherbirds are carnivores. They take animals from the size of large ants up to small birds or small lizards. As nest robbers they are feared by other bird species. They earn their name by wedging larger prey into forks of branches and then ripping it apart.