The sound of the magpie’s warbling song at dawn is one of the iconic experiences of growing up in Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It is not surprising that these iconic black-and-white birds are closely related to butcherbirds.
Every child and adult recognises a magpie and everybody is wary of them in the breeding season when evasive action is often required.
The sight of a diving “maggie” or the swish of wings as the bird swoops past your head, instils fear in the bravest of us.
They are common and conspicuous in cities and towns, in our gardens and streets and on almost every sporting field and park, a fixed part of the landscape.
The birds like an environment that has a combination of trees and adjacent green areas and are found almost everywhere in Australia.
Their colouring is black with white shoulder, upper tail and nape. The females and younger birds are greyer on their heads. Birds in southern states have more white on their backs.
Magpies are seen most often foraging for food on lawns or open patches of grass.
They have long legs enabling them to walk rather than hopping.
As they walk they cock their heads from side to side triangulating the faint vibration of prey under the grass.
Magpies eat insects and their larvae, earthworms, spiders, snails and some grains.
Groups of birds live in small territories that are actively defended from intrusion by other birds.
Amazingly some preliminary studies have indicated that magpies seem to recognise all the humans in their territory.
They are sociable and often become very attached to humans turning up regularly for food scraps and even entering houses.
They love to sunbake and roll around on the grass, mock -fighting with each other.
Some birds are particularly aggressive during the breeding season when they are defending young chicks in the nest.
There are interesting statistics on magpies which indicate that only 12 per cent swoop and of those 5 per cent actually make contact.
This behaviour should not be taken lightly, however, as every year in Australia 5-10 people suffer eye damage from magpie attacks.
Very aggressive males may need to be captured and relocated to another less populated area.
The risk to the survival of the chicks losing a parent is minimal, however.
Within hours the female magpie has found another mate and the new pair continues to raise the chicks.
Hunter Bird Observers
Club: hboc.org.au
Next week: Jim Thomson
