Photo: Tatiana Gerus / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey Butcherbird
Cracticus torquatus
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) is a member of the Artamidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 82.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Artamidae Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
- Genus Cracticus
- Species torquatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 82.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Artamidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey Butcherbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey Butcherbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) belongs to the Artamidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except n).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 82.9 g, with a wing length of about 14.5 cm and a tail of around 11.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey Butcherbird?
The Grey Butcherbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 82.9 g.
Where does the Grey Butcherbird live?
The Grey Butcherbird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except n), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Grey Butcherbird belong to?
The Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) belongs to the Artamidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey Butcherbird eat?
The Grey Butcherbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Grey Butcherbird migrate?
The Grey Butcherbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey Butcherbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Grey Butcherbird make?
1 real field recording of the Grey Butcherbird can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey Butcherbird's range?
The Grey Butcherbird has a mapped global range of about 6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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