Cracticidae

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Cracticidae (butcherbirds, currawongs; class Aves, order Passeriformes) A family of medium-sized, grey and white birds that have stout bills, sometimes hooked, and short, pointed wings. They are gregarious and arboreal, feeding on large insects, small vertebrates, and fruit, taken on the ground. They build an open nest in a tree. The family includes Gymnorhina tibicen (Australian magpie), a bird with a black-tipped, white bill that becomes tame in parks and gardens. There are three genera, with 10 species, found in Australia and New Guinea.

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