Australian Magpies are endlessly fascinating to watch as their family group works over their patch of open country. Feed a family regularly and they’ll come up every morning to sing for breakfast.
shellysays
Nice pics! The first two are magpie-larks, which aren’t closely related to Aus magpies (or larks). We do seem to have a lot of black & white birds.
rqsays
I caught a set of four magpie/mockingbirds in the walnut tree this morning. Stealing the dog’s food, naturally (Ronja was out front visiting with the dog across the street, they had a nice wail-along together at the unfairness of it all).
The magpie larks have the same great colouring, but in a smaller, daintier package -- the contrast in character is visible.
So, on the other side of the world the magpies are the opposite colours as well…
busterggisays
DAmn, I wish we had ANY kind of magpies in New England!
Ice Swimmersays
I wish I saw magpies more often. Crows and jackdaws seem so much more common here. If the acorns in under the oak near my place are good enough for crows, squirrels and ducks, why not for magpies.
rqsays
Ice Swimmer
We didn’t used to have a lot of them around our house, until we got a dog that lives (mostly) outside.
Put out some dogfood and see what happens. :)
Lofty says
Australian Magpies are endlessly fascinating to watch as their family group works over their patch of open country. Feed a family regularly and they’ll come up every morning to sing for breakfast.
shelly says
Nice pics! The first two are magpie-larks, which aren’t closely related to Aus magpies (or larks). We do seem to have a lot of black & white birds.
rq says
I caught a set of four magpie/mockingbirds in the walnut tree this morning. Stealing the dog’s food, naturally (Ronja was out front visiting with the dog across the street, they had a nice wail-along together at the unfairness of it all).
The magpie larks have the same great colouring, but in a smaller, daintier package -- the contrast in character is visible.
Giliell, professional cynic -Ilk- says
So, on the other side of the world the magpies are the opposite colours as well…
busterggi says
DAmn, I wish we had ANY kind of magpies in New England!
Ice Swimmer says
I wish I saw magpies more often. Crows and jackdaws seem so much more common here. If the acorns in under the oak near my place are good enough for crows, squirrels and ducks, why not for magpies.
rq says
Ice Swimmer
We didn’t used to have a lot of them around our house, until we got a dog that lives (mostly) outside.
Put out some dogfood and see what happens. :)
Lofty says
Our vet did say that slightly soggy dog food pellets were ideal magpie food.
Raucous Indignation says
That’s a magpie? Really?? I don’t know a damn thing about birds.