Corcorax melanorhamphos

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Family

Corcoracidae

Genus

Corcorax

Species

melanorhamphos

Common Names

White-winged Chough, Black Jay

Distinguishing Features

The White-winged Chough is a large bird of about 45 cm. It is completely black with white underfeathers, a distinctive red eye and a slightly hooked beak. The young do not reach sexual maturity for four years, and over this time their plumage darkens and their eyes change from brown to orange to red.

Survey Techniques

Call and visual identification.

Species Call

Harsh descending whistles in a downward slide of 't-i-e-e-e-ew, t-i-e-e-e-uw, t-i-e-e-uw'.

Similar Species

The White-winged Chough could be confused with an Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides ), Crow or Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina ), however the Chough's red eye and curved beak is unique.

Distribution

The White-winged Chough is found across the southeast corner of mainland Australia, as far north as southeast QLD.

Country of Origin

Australia

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - Regional

The population has fluctuated with a recent rise (COG).

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - National

Secure, not listed under the EPBC Act 1999.

LSCCES Population

White-winged Choughs were identified at the ANU, CSIRO, BMt and Turner.

Associated vegetation community

The species prefers a woodland habitat, with a thick ground layer of fallen leaves and bark to forage through. Moisture is also necessary for building their mud-nests.

Limiting Resources

White-Winged Choughs require woodland areas where the ground litter of leaves and twigs has not been neatened or cleared away.

Breeding

The Choughs build large mud nests in tree branches. Their eggs are a cream colour with large brown spots. A clutch size is usually 3-5, however they can have as many as ten. Incubation takes 19 days and young birds stay in the nest for 28 days. Winter is the only season in Canberra with no breeding activity, as the juvenile birds are dependant upon the social group for an extended period of time.

Behaviour

This is a very social species, commonly sighted in groups of around 8 birds, sharing most activities. They seem happy to nest at sights with high human traffic, however they will defend their nest territory during the breeding season with 'wing-waving' displays to deter unwanted intruders. They spend the majority of their time foraging on the ground, head swaying, tail jerking and scratching through leaf litter.

Functional Group

Omnivore

Food Species

The White-winged Chough is mostly a ground forager, racking through ground litter for insects and their larvae, earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris), snails (Helix aspersa) and some seeds. Groups have large feeding territories of up to 1000 ha in area.

Predators

Young birds cannot easily fly when they leave the nest and are an easy target for feral or domestic Cats (Felis catus).

Interesting Fact

Choughs are known to kidnap young birds from neighbouring groups.
In times of drought, when moisture for mud-nest building is unavailable, Choughs will use cattle or emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) dung as a replacement.