Magpie

The magpies, currawongs, butcherbirds, noisy-miners - they are all friends and interact daily in many ways. They play with each other, negotiate with each other, tease each other and help each other.  This slideshow tells a really cute story that we have seen played out in many variations.

These shots were taken on the first day that Vicky brought Wendy to our backyard.  Wendy had been out of the nest for only a few days.  Magpie chicks have dark plumage while they are still in the nest, their plumage lightens when they come out.  From the colour of Wendy's chest, it seems that she had not yet lightened when she came out of the nest.  Vicky trusts us and is quite confident in bringing her young chick to mix with the others.  Renuthri (noisy-miner) and Sophie (two years of age) were in a trance on the bank when Vicky scatters them on her way down to get some food for Wendy.  D

Good old friends Maggie and Minnie have shared many adventures from the beginning.  Maggie always left some food for Minnie and Minnie would always fetch Maggie.  A true friend to the end, Minnie sat on the cage, encouraging Maggie to enter and let us help him, when he fell sick in his last days.

The pictures below are from the days of prolonged drought and show Maggie, Kerry (butcherbird) and Minnie walking, drinking and sharing their lives together.

Maggie Magpie and Minnie Noisy-miner are long time friends.  Here they enjoy a drink together.   Maggie's daughter Sparky ( two years old)  also want to join them while her juvenile sister Wendy waits her turn.

Generally, telling the sex of an adult magpie is often quite easy. The distinguishing feature lies in the white hood on the back of their heads and necks. Female magpies tend to be greyer at the lower end of the hood, while adult male magpies will have very white hoods right to the bottom.

Here are some pictures of Vicky (female) on the left and Maggie (male) on the right