Little Crow
Corvus bennetti
Australian crows and ravens are challenging to identify; concentrate on call, throat-hackles, behavior, and location. Calls usually a very fairly short, repeated “ah-ah-ah.” Note relatively short bill, white bases to the small throat hackles. Similar Torresian Crow larger and more likely to be found in very large flocks in dry inland parts of Australia. Inhabits arid inland areas of Australia and is not the default crow/raven in any of the major cities.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Corvus bennetti
- Authority
- North, 1901
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
- Genus
- Corvus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Nomadic movement
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Large Gray Babbler
Argya malcolmi
Large gray-brown babbler with piercing yellow eyes. Can be confused with Jungle Babbler, with which it sometimes associates; look for strong dark lores and a darker bill. Favors scrubby areas, forest edge, and open dry forests. Like many other related babblers, typically hops around on the ground in flocks. Chatters persistently; the most common call is a loud, nasal “kaaa-kaaa-kaaa”.
Royal Parrotfinch
Erythrura cyaneovirens
A beautiful finch with a bright ocean-blue body, greenish wings, a reddish tail, a red head, and a blue throat. Mostly found in closed-canopy forest and forest edge. Scarce in open habitats. Common call is a thin, high-pitched, repetitive “seep.”
Pale-crested Woodpecker
Celeus lugubris
Distinctive woodpecker with a prominent pointed crest. Has a dark cinnamon-brown back scaled with yellow and a yellow rump. The flight feathers are barred cinnamon, and the underparts are dark rusty brown. The moustache stripe is red on males and brown on females. Found in areas with palms in semi-deciduous forest, savanna woodland, and dry Chaco woodland. Typical call is “wee-wee-week.”
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