Tuesday 3 December 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday 73 - Australian Magpie

While it may be easy to think of birds like Emus, Cassowary and parrots as icons of Australian birdlife, I think this list misses a real classic.

Australian Magpies are big, bold, occasionally aggressive and (surprisingly given this description) wonderful singers.  They are also very easy to see over the vast majority of Australia.

Many of those otherwise wasted moments on train platforms or in queues have been occupied in watching these birds.

Like so many other Australian birds, their common name is misleading.  The Australian Magpie is more closely related to butcher birds than crows - and it is really only its black and white colour that links it to its European namesake.

The bird has a checked taxonomic history with groups of birds once considered species now though of as races of one species - Gymnorhina tibicen.   The final part of its name refers to "piper or flute player" which as the book next to me says is "very apt".

At about 40 cm long these are large birds and at this time of year you often find well grown young birds noisily begging for food from their parents.








Now it's your turn to join in with WBW.  Good number of bloggers have been linking up over the past month, but we can always find space for more!  So, invite away and don't forget to link back here!



50 comments:

  1. Great shots Stewart - interesting info too. Thanks for sharing!

    Ruby

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  2. You have so many beautiful birds there in Australia!! What a beauty!

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  3. Very striking bird, and lovely photos! He sure has a substantial looking bill!

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  4. Stunning photos, Stewart - such shallow depth of field and amazing 'bokeh'!

    I agree with what you say about our good ol' Maggie - a beautiful bird! I recently saw a Youtube video of one playing with a puppy, which is well worth a look!

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  5. Really great to see these beautiful Magpie .
    I think he does not suffer from that leg which half is missing.
    Greetings Irma

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  6. Great bird! Looks like a Crow, no a pidgeon...

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  7. a rather striking bird. would certainly catch my eye as we don't get magpies of any kind here.

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  8. is that a magpie? Looks pretty much like our hooded crow. :)

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  9. Is this a juvenile Stewart? Looks a little tatty around the edges. Out Magpies get a bit of bad press over here in the UK, however they are a superbly handsome bird.

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  10. Beautiful photos of this handsome bird.

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  11. It looks a bit like a cross between a Magpie and a Hooded Crow. A really nice bird. From Findlay

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  12. It looks a bit more Crow-like than our Magpie Stewart, a bit like a Hoody.
    Smart bird.
    All the best , Gordon.

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  13. I love the Magpies we have over here, but I am quite certain they are no relation to yours as they don't have a beautiful song. I will be forced to look this up now, but I think they are probably related to our crows who also don't have a beautiful song. Our Magpies are not as big as yours but look very much the same ... and they are characters. They are bold and comical and will steal food right off of your plate if you are eating outside. The Magpies in Australia are beautiful and shouldn't be overlooked. Common, I always think, just means that they are smart enough to survive. Great post, Stewart :)

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  14. dat is weer een mooie austaliesche vogel prachtig zo zien wij nog eens wat anders.

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  15. Big Bold and don't forget...BEAUTIFUL!!

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  16. And speaking of emus and flutes. I saw the funniest segment on a show called, "Tosh . O" A guy with a flute was serenading an ostrich. And it was dancing and weaving to the music. So funny!

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  17. Gotta love the big and bold birds like the Magpie group. They certainly are colorful characters:)

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  18. Fantastic images Stewart... it's a beautiful looking bird.

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  19. What characters these birds are! Great captures!

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  20. Interesting birds. They have a sort of "upside down" plumage pattern reminiscent of our Bobolinks-- light on top and dark beneath.

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  21. Now i am really confused because that bird looks like a crow rather than a shrike! oh well, the scientists must be right - they always are LOL. Nice pics Stewart.

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  22. Great photos of the Maggies! I love their songs. The occasional aggressive birds are a real problem.

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  23. a very nice series on our Magpie, and I see them rolling around on their backs playing with one another, like little puppies. Think it must be a toughening up process because sometimes they get a bit out of control and the weaker one shrieking out - you see this too?

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  24. What a handsome bird! Great shots.

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  25. Stewart, great series on your Australian Magpie.. It does look different then the Magpie I have seen here in the states. Thanks for hosting, have a happy week!

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  26. Great serie of photos.
    We saw a lot of these magpies in Australia! They are cute!

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  27. Very striking! I love the heavy bill and the plumage! A handsome bird.

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  28. That is one beautiful and majestic bird. Great shot Stewart :)

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  29. The colors are the same as the magpie we see in Eastern Washington and Oregon ... I tried to get a picture when we visited there this summer, but no luck ... anyway yours is lovelier and ours is related to (and sounds like) the common crow. So yours wins (and another bird that gives you songs!)

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  30. Well, I never would have guessed your magpie was a good singer!
    They're handsome birds but have less than a sterling reputation.

    Very nice photographs, Stewart!

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  31. Well, I never would have guessed your magpie was a good singer!
    They're handsome birds but have less than a sterling reputation.

    Very nice photographs, Stewart!

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  32. Beautiful shots, Stewart, of this interesting bird. I'd love to hear it sing.

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  33. Stewart, how well you've captured a bird (like our crow) that's normally scorned. Beautiful images. Have a great day. Jo

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  34. HI Stewart Yes I agree, A great bird in fact is one of the birds in my post today. I didn't have time to make a 1 bird informattive post today as I am still on holidays but going home today for a rest!!! Great photographs of the Magpie.

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  35. I love our Maggies they start carolling just a little after the blackbirds before dawn. Whenever I have been overseas for a prolonged time, I have missed the magpie's warble and gum trees most of all. Of course when I live here, I miss a lot of the natural features of the northern hemisphere as well.
    I suppose that is the human condition, the more you know of the world the less contented we are in a single place, there is always something we miss about other places.

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  36. Great magpie shots. A favourite in my garden, though the dogs are not fond of them because they steal the dogs' bones.

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  37. I do love their carolling. I am reminded of Pamela Allen's children's book "Waddle Giggle Gargle"!
    I wish they weren't associated with a particular Australian Rule Football team.

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  38. Handsome bird--especially the white markings on back. Looks like wearing a cape. They look like very intelligent birds?

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  39. The bird does look like he is thinking heavily as he sits.Beautiful bird I have not seen before,phyllis

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  40. It is a very beautiful bird with those markings! Love the contrast.

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  41. What a great looking bird! Nice photos!

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  42. Splendid, handsome looking birds Stewart. I had never seen the Blackbilled Magpies we have out West here until 3 or 4 years ago and I was immediately taken in by them. Thank you again so much for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday~

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  43. Wonderful shots! One of the view birds in nature I can identify at once! ;)

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  44. What an fascinating bird that is. I especially like the way. It is posing in the first photo.

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  45. I like your Magpie. I seem to remember my mother calling me that--do you suppose she meant I was being noisy? ;)

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  46. That's a lovely Magpie. Nice to see one different to our own here.

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  47. They are so active! Great characters and good looking. Nice photos of them Stewart!

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