GREY BUTCHERBIRD

 159             GREY BUTCHERBIRD             Cracticus torquatus

Australia        (159)

Also known as Silver-backed Butcherbird, Derwent or Tasmanian Jackass. 24-30 cm. Range includes Tasmania, SA, Victoria, NSW, se half of Queensland, bottom half and top fifth of WA, areas to north and to south of NT. Found on margins of rain forests, vine-scrub, paperbarks, woodlands, coastal scrub, roadsides, parks.

Three subspecies in Australia:
torquatus:              over much of Australia, from southern half of WA to most of Q, NSW
leucopterus:          east coast of NSW, east and se of Victoria
cinereus:               eastern half of Tasmania.

Subspecies torquatus, photographed near Whyalla, South Australia, September 2018