Photography by Steve Solomons. Site by Weblight Studio (Australia) All Rights reserved
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike
Black-Backed Magpie
Chestnut Teal
Crested Pigeon
Domestic Pigeon
Eastern Rosella
Figbird
Galah
Little Corella
Noisy Miners
Rainbow Lorikeets
Grey Butcher Bird
Australian Magpie
Gymnohina tibicen
DISTRIBUTION: Generally throughout
Australia, although rare, local or absent in large areas of the north and west;
introduced to New Zealand. Three distinct populations, typified by G. t.
dorsalis (Western Magpie) of south-western Australia, G. t. hypoleuca (White
Backed Magpie) of the south-eastern States, north to about Canberra, ACT, and G.
t. tibicen (this is the local version...shown) (Black Backed Magpie), which
occurs over most of NSW, Queensland and Northern Australia; each of these in
fact represents a cluster of related subspecies.
NOTES: This species is very conspicuous,
and because of it's fondness for green fields has probably increased with
settlement-although at the same time large-scale clearing has correspondingly
deprived it of the woodland it needs for roosting and breeding. Although
disliked at times because of it's swoops and attacks on humans during the
breeding season, it is in general quite popular, partly because of it's economic
value as a destroyer of insects and small snakes, partly because of it's
familiarity, and especially because of it's melodious carolling. The bird often
sings in company, mainly at dawn and dusk, and sometimes at night; generally
it's song is one of the most characteristic features of the Australian bush.
Magpies live in groups, which may routinely split up to forage, but which come
together for roosting and breeding. The three most distinctive groups of
population (above references) were once regarded as separate species, but it is
now known that they interbreed freely and produce fertile offspring, so all are
now regarded as conspecific.
NEST:
Deep, bowl-shaped, made of sticks and twigs (and sometimes scraps of wire);
placed in the fork of a tree, usually from eight to twenty metres from the
ground. Where trees are scarce or absent the nest may be placed in a hedgerow,
on a stone wall, on telephone or telegraph posts, or even on the ground.
EGGS: Three to five, usually four; very
variable in colour and pattern, typically greenish-blue to bluish-white, or
reddish-grey to dull brown, with numerous streaks of chesnut brown. Breeding
season: July to Feb.
All
bluster and little bite this dragon kept a gang of three juvenile magpies at bay
by hissing and opening his mouth to show the yellow lining.
The consternation among the magpies was
so obvious. They would form a close circle about the lizard as though they would
attack him and and then he would turn and hiss and the whole gang would alight
back onto the fence and glance back and forth at each other as though looking
for reassurance.
Three magpies had ganged up on a lizard and were being kept at bay
by his hissing. I rescued the lizard and was followed home by all three birds.
Here one sits on the fence and gives me the magpie "evil eye". Since then we
have developed a better relationship.
references from What Bird is That?
Neville W. Cayley. 1931 revised by Terence Lyndsey. 1984
...Angus and Robertson, Sydney Australia
Right: During the drought. This magpie followed me about the yard dancing and warbling. It wasn't until later that I suspected he was making body language for drinking and for being hot (drooping his wings) I went and looked and sure enough the water bowl was empty