Six subspecies are spread around Australia.
They vary extensively in the colour of their plumage, from grey to sooty black, and the amount of white on their wings, and most were at one time considered separate species:
S. v. versicolor, the nominate race, is known as the grey currawong, and is found in New South Wales, the ACT, and eastern and central Victoria, west to Port Phillip on the coast, and to the Grampians inland.

S. v. intermedia, the grey-brown form of South Australia, is also known as the brown currawong.
It is found in the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, the Gawler and Mount Lofty Ranges and the eastern areas of the Great Australian Bight.
The smallest of the six subspecies, it has a shorter wing and tail.
Birds in the southern Eyre Peninsula have darker plumage than those in the northern parts.
First described by Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1877 from a specimen collected in Port Lincoln, its specific name is the Latin adjective intermedia "intermediate".

S. v. arguta, the darkest race, is from eastern Tasmania and is known as the clinking currawong from its call or locally as the black magpie.
Sharpe called it the Tasmanian hill-crow.
It was first described by John Gould in 1846.
The specific name is the Latin adjective argūtus "shrill/piercing", "noisy" or "melodious".
Larger and heavier than the nominate subspecies, it has longer wings, tail, bill, and tarsus.

S. v. melanoptera, known as the black-winged currawong, is from western Victoria's Mallee region and South Australia west to the Mount Lofty Ranges.
It can be difficult to distinguish from the black and pied currawongs at any distance.
Of similar size and bill-shape to the nominate subspecies, it has a darker blackish-brown plumage and lacks the white wing markings.
Birds from much of western Victoria are intermediates between this and the nominate subspecies, often bearing partial white markings on the wings.
Similarly, in the western part of its range in South Australia are intermediate with subspecies to the west and also have some paler patches.
Named by John Gould in 1846, its specific name is derived from the Ancient Greek words melano- "black" and pteron "wings".
American ornithologist Dean Amadon observed that birds from northwestern Victoria were lighter in plumage than those of South Australia, and tentatively classified them as a separate subspecies howei.
However, he noted they warranted further investigation, and subsequent authorities have not recognised the populations as separate.

S. v. halmaturina is restricted to Kangaroo Island.
A dark-plumaged subspecies, it has a longer narrower bill than the nominate race, and is lighter in weight.
The specific name is the adjective halmaturina "of Kangaroo Island".
It was first named by Gregory Mathews in 1912.

S. v. plumbea is found from western South Australia and the southwestern corner of the Northern Territory westwards into Western Australia.
It is colloquially known as "squeaker" from the sound of its call.
Named by Gould in 1846, its specific name is the Latin adjective plumběus "leaden".
The common name leaden cuckoo-shrike refers to this group.
Very similar in plumage to the nominate subspecies, it differs in its thicker, more downward curved bill.
The base plumage is variable, but tends to be slightly darker and possibly more brown-tinged than the nominate subspecies.
Amadon noted that a specimen from the Everard Ranges in northwestern South Australia was larger and paler than other specimens of plumbea.
Although he considered these Central Australian birds as a separate subspecies centralia, he conceded very little was known.
They have been considered part of plumbea subsequently.
Six subspecies are spread around Australia. They vary extensively in the colour of their plumage, from grey to sooty black, and the amount of white on their wings, and most were at one time considered separate species:
S. v. versicolor, the nominate race, is known as the grey currawong, and is found in New South Wales, the ACT, and eastern and central Victoria, west to Port Phillip on the coast, and to the Grampians inland.
S. v. intermedia, the grey-brown form of South Australia, is also known as the brown currawong. It is found in the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, the Gawler and Mount Lofty Ranges and the eastern areas of the Great Australian Bight. The smallest of the six subspecies, it has a shorter wing and tail. Birds in the southern Eyre Peninsula have darker plumage than those in the northern parts. First described by Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1877 from a specimen collected in Port Lincoln, its specific name is the Latin adjective intermedia "intermediate".
S. v. arguta, the darkest race, is from eastern Tasmania and is known as the clinking currawong from its call or locally as the black magpie. Sharpe called it the Tasmanian hill-crow. It was first described by John Gould in 1846. The specific name is the Latin adjective argūtus "shrill/piercing", "noisy" or "melodious". Larger and heavier than the nominate subspecies, it has longer wings, tail, bill, and tarsus.
S. v. melanoptera, known as the black-winged currawong, is from western Victoria's Mallee region and South Australia west to the Mount Lofty Ranges. It can be difficult to distinguish from the black and pied currawongs at any distance. Of similar size and bill-shape to the nominate subspecies, it has a darker blackish-brown plumage and lacks the white wing markings. Birds from much of western Victoria are intermediates between this and the nominate subspecies, often bearing partial white markings on the wings. Similarly, in the western part of its range in South Australia are intermediate with subspecies to the west and also have some paler patches. Named by John Gould in 1846, its specific name is derived from the Ancient Greek words melano- "black" and pteron "wings". American ornithologist Dean Amadon observed that birds from northwestern Victoria were lighter in plumage than those of South Australia, and tentatively classified them as a separate subspecies howei. However, he noted they warranted further investigation, and subsequent authorities have not recognised the populations as separate.
S. v. halmaturina is restricted to Kangaroo Island. A dark-plumaged subspecies, it has a longer narrower bill than the nominate race, and is lighter in weight. The specific name is the adjective halmaturina "of Kangaroo Island". It was first named by Gregory Mathews in 1912.
S. v. plumbea is found from western South Australia and the southwestern corner of the Northern Territory westwards into Western Australia. It is colloquially known as "squeaker" from the sound of its call. Named by Gould in 1846, its specific name is the Latin adjective plumběus "leaden". The common name leaden cuckoo-shrike refers to this group. Very similar in plumage to the nominate subspecies, it differs in its thicker, more downward curved bill. The base plumage is variable, but tends to be slightly darker and possibly more brown-tinged than the nominate subspecies. Amadon noted that a specimen from the Everard Ranges in northwestern South Australia was larger and paler than other specimens of plumbea. Although he considered these Central Australian birds as a separate subspecies centralia, he conceded very little was known. They have been considered part of plumbea subsequently.
Grey currawong