Bird White-winged Cough (Corcorax melanorhamphos)

[auscraft]

Common Name: White-winged Chough

Scientific Name: Corcorax melanorhamphos

Family: Corcoracidae

Order: Passeriformes

Other Names: NA.

Distribution: Most of eastern and south-eastern mainland Australia, but are absent from northern Queensland.

Habitat: Open forests and woodlands, tending to prefer the wetter areas, with lots of leaf-litter, for feeding, and available mud for nest building.

Field Notes: large, almost completely black bird. It has a curved beak, a red eye and a large white wing patch, which is seen when the bird is in flight. The bill and legs are black. Both male and female share the same plumage pattern. Young White-winged Choughs start off duskier than the adults, and the eye is brown. Often mistaken at a distance for a crow or raven. Size 45 cm.

Photo by Auscraft 2011, Kinbombi,QLD.

View attachment 1361

 

[Hairyman]

Usually in family groups of about six. Has been known to eat road kill wallaby.

 

[auscraft]

Nest

White-winged Chough nests are like a large bowl of mud, which is built on a horizontal branch within 15 m of the ground. It may take several months to build if there is insufficient rain to moisten the mud. If there is a lack of mud, birds may use cattle or Emu dung. The eggs are cream-coloured, with large brown spots.
Photo by Auscraft 2011, My Yard,
View attachment 2041

 

[J.K.M]

Corcorax melanorhamphos (White-winged Chough)

Common Name: White-winged Chough

Scientific name: Corcorax melanorhamphos

Family: Corcoracidae

Order: Passeriformes

Other Names: N/A

Distribution: Eastern and South-Eastern mainland Australia

Habitat: Open Forest, often seen foraging in leaf litter.

Field Notes: A large and mostly black bird with a red eye, curved black beak, black legs and a white wing patch which is visible when in flight.

Photo taken at You Yangs Regional Reserve, Victoria - July 2010; Approx. 50 were observed foraging in leaf litter beside the road.

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[J.K.M]

... ... ....

 

[Dusty Miller]

You can't see it until they fly, but this is why they are called white winged choughs.

 

[Dusty]

Great flight shots Dusty M.

 

[Hairyman]

 

[auscraft]

Juvenile pic you can tell by the eye colouring
View attachment 13514
Even though this bird could eat by itself it still screamed for a feeding

 

[Hairyman]

Juvenile pic you can tell by the eye colouring
View attachment 13514
Even though this bird could eat by itself it still screamed for a feeding

I empathise with the parents, ...same behaviour in humans.