IUCN Least Concern (LC)
Grey Butcherbird
Cracticus torquatus
With its tuneful, lilting song, the Grey Butcherbird may not seem to be a particularly intimidating species. However, with its strong, hooked beak and its fierce stare, the Grey Butcherbird is not a bird to be messed with. Butcherbirds get their name from their habit of hanging captured prey on a hook or in a tree fork, or crevice.
The adult Grey Butcherbird has a black crown and face and a grey back, with a thin white collar. The wings are grey, with large areas of white and the underparts are white. The grey and black bill is large, with a small hook at the tip of the upper bill. The eye is dark brown and the legs and feet are dark grey. Both sexes are similar in plumage, but the females are slightly smaller than the males. Young Grey Butcherbirds resemble adults but have black areas replaced with olive brown and a buff wash on the white areas. The bill is completely dark grey and often lacks an obvious hook. They are sometimes mistaken for small kingfishers. Their average size is 27cm and their average weight is 100 grams.
The song is a rich piping with some mimicry and harsher notes.
Bird call recorded by: Fred Van Gessel
Grey Butcherbirds are found in a range of wooded habitats, including suburban areas. In inland areas they favour denser woodlands
Distribution map
Butcherbirds get their name from their habit of hanging captured prey on a hook or in a tree fork, or crevice. This ‘larder’ is used to support the victim while it is being eaten, to store several victims or to attract mates. When a nest or newly fledged chick is around, if you venture too close, a butcherbird will swoop by flying straight at your face, sometimes striking with enough force to draw blood, and each swoop is accompanied by a loud, maniacal cackle. Despite this, their song is a rich piping with some mimicry and harsher notes.
Grey Butcherbirds are predators. They prey on small animals, including birds, lizards and insects, as well as some fruits and seeds. Uneaten food may be stored in the fork or a branch or impaled. Grey Butcherbirds sit on an open perch searching for prey which, once sighted, they pounce on. Most mobile prey is caught on the ground, though small birds and insects may be caught in flight. Feeding normally takes place alone, in pairs or in small family groups.
The Grey Butcherbird’s nest is bowl-shaped, and is made of sticks and twigs, lined with grasses and other soft fibres. It is normally located within 10m off the ground. Clutch size is 3 to 5 eggs. The eggs are incubated by the female (25 days) and the young birds are fed by both parents. The nestling period is 28 days. The young birds will remain in the breeding territory for about a year, and help the parents raise the young of the following season. Breeding season is July to January.
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IUCN status reflects the conservation status of this species globally.
