adult Pied Butcherbird, (Cracticus nigrogularis), perched on wooden post, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia


The pied butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) is a songbird native to Australia. Within its range, the pied butcherbird is generally sedentary. Common in woodlands and in urban environments, it is carnivorous, eating small vertebrates and insects. A tame and inquisitive bird, the pied butcherbird has been known to accept food from humans. It nests in trees, constructing a cup-shaped structure out of sticks and laying two to five eggs. The pied butcherbird engages in cooperative breeding, with a mated pair sometimes assisted by several helper birds. The troop is territorial, defending the nesting site from intruders. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the pied butcherbird as being of least concern on account of its large range and apparently stable population.


Size: 3524px × 5180px
Location: Byron Bay NSW, Australia
Photo credit: © Dominic Robinson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: adult, animal, animals, australia, australian, avifauna, bay, bird, birdlife, birds, butcher, butcherbird, byron, cracticus, endemic, nature, nigrogularis, passerine, passerines, perched, pied, song, south, species, wales, wildlife