The White Winged Chough Poem by Francis Duggan

At first I thought this has to be a crow
But as she flew white on her wings did show
Upwards to cup shaped mud nest wedged in bough
And then I knew she is the white winged chough.

So many people seem to get it wrong
And mistake chough for the pied currawong
But currawongs eyes are yellow choughs are red
By similarities we tend to be misled.

And others who of bird life little know
Say white winged chough is thin billed breed of crow
But crow don't build mud nest on fork of tree
And chough belong to different family.

The white winged choughs search for food on the ground
In place where there are many trees around
And they live in family groups of five to ten
And they seldom venture near the homes of men.

In Spring they build mud nest and the female lay
Five to eight spotted eggs of white to gray
And all the family help to raise the young
And when danger is near they all give tongue.

There is a bird known as the white winged chough
And she builds her cup shaped mud nest wedged in bough
And sometimes people tend to get it wrong
And mistake her for crow or currawong.