White-winged Chough (21/23)

PASSERIFORMES: Corcoracidae

Corcorax melanorhamphos  

These birds build impressively large and strong looking mud nests which may take several months to build if there is insufficient rain to moisten the mud.

If there is a lack of mud, birds may use cattle or Emu dung.

When the chicks first leave the nest, they are not able to fly, and are easy prey for feral cats and foxes ('Birds in Backyards' - Australian Museum).

All the flock helps in building the large mud nests and there is almost a constant stream of birds flying up to the nest, each in turn hopping in and placing his "brick" (Hugh A.C.LEACH R.A.O.U).