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Australian MagpieAboriginal names: "burrugaabu" [gamilaraay], "burrugarrbuu" [yuwaalaraay] |
Sightings
Australian Magpies (race "tibicen") are one of the most common birds in our area near Narrabri, New South Wales. They are territorial birds, which live in their territories in family units of normally up to 10 members. Also sighted on a trip to the east of the dividing range, in the area from Armidale to Dorrigo, New South Wales.
Seen by us also on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia in March 2008, basically everywhere we went. As opposed to Magpie-larks, we found Australian Magpies in the most remote locations, after several years of drought.
Race "leuconota" was seen and photographed by C. Kellenberg at Narooma, NSW, in February 2009 and at Lakes National Park, VIC, in March 2009.
Photos
Race "tibicen"
This race is also called "Black-backed Magpie".
Portrait of a curious Australian Magpie ("tibicen"), 25 km west of Narrabri, New South Wales (click on image for larger version)
Another Australian Magpie (click on image for larger version)
The same Australian Magpie as above, now accompanied by a Noisy Miner (click on image for larger version)
Australian Magpie with its prey (click on image for larger version)
Here an Australian Magpie straight out of the bathtub (click on image for larger version)
Frontal view of an immature Australian Magpie ("tibicen"), 20 km east of Narrabri, New South Wales (click on image for larger version)
Lateral view of an immature Australian Magpie ("tibicen"), 20 km east of Narrabri, New South Wales (click on image for larger version)
Fledgling Australian Magpie (click on image for larger version)
Race "leuconota"
This race is also called "White-backed Magpie".
View of the back of a female Australian Magpie "leuconota"; photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg (click on image for larger version)
View of the back of an immature Australian Magpie "leuconota"; photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg (click on image for larger version)
Nest
Australian Magpie on its nest (click on image for full-size display)
The same bird as above, diving towards the destination of its next foraging expedition (click on image for full-size display)
Here the chick that has fled its nest, four weeks later (click on image for larger version)
Closer view of an Australian Magpie's nest (click on image for larger version)
Habits
Every attempt by us to describe the behavioural patterns of Australian Magpies would be preposterous, considering that there is the very enlightening book "Australian Magpie" by Gisela Kaplan (CSIRO Publishing). But a bit more local "gossip" can be added: At our place near Narrabri Australian Magpies are winter guests, because during summertime they are hustled into the bush by the local Willie Wagtails. A family of "Maggies" were residents 20 km east of Narrabri in 2007.
It may be noteworthy that, apart from some parrots and cockatoos, Australian Magpies are the only birds known by us to show playful behaviour (immature birds; see photo below).
Two immature Australian Magpies playing with each other, much in the same way as two dog pups would, while the parents are keeping an eye on the surroundings (click on image for full-size display)
In 2007, the local Australian Magpies in the Narrabri area started swooping on people coming too close to their nesting trees around August - a good indication that their breeding season had begun.
Seen by us chasing and hustling other bird species. They sometimes have a go at Crested Pigeons (with what we took to be intent to kill; we have also once seen a Magpie plucking a Crested Pigeon). Also seen by us hustling a family clan of seven White-winged Choughs.
We have seen an Australian Raven hustle an Australian Magpie, stealing its prey in flight. When the Magpie let go of the small lizard it had caught, the Australian Raven scooped it up in mid-air and then flew to a nearby tree to pluck it apart while sitting on a horizontal branch.