.. We are fortunate down here as we don't have the Tick problem however we went for a drive today to visit Lake Tyers were there are Ticks and had to check Oliver thoroughly when we got home! We copped a bit up here but my son said it was very very bad in Melbourne. The female initiates the pair bond by begging for food from the male, which begins courtship feeding. I have listed below some interesting facts about this bird: Over the years I have developed an affinity with Magpies and have a certain love of the way they live their lives. Fortunately for me no damage was done. This family of Magpies, there was only Mum and Dad at the time, would come down every day and take the food; becoming so tame that they would eat out of our hands and trusted us so much they would even come into our enclosed back porch. Should i do anything. They've become quite accustomed to me playing guitar outside and will often try to out sing me any chance they get. Peter (author) from Australia on May 28, 2014: G'day Belcaesar nice to hear from you again, I had started to think we had lost you :) I agree with you about Telstra ( Australia's largest telephone company who once had a monopoly on communications and still owns the copper wire network) Your new house sounds great with a much wider variety of birds to share your life with :). Meanwhile with all this going on,i thought it was a good omen that Collingwood would get to the finals and grandfinal and win after 20 years. hmmm don't get me started. Xx, and just to add..the one that was hit wanted to be back over the road in the double property with trees that it knew/knows.. it was in pretty good nick for a bird that was looking pretty much dead on the road with its parents about to get hit also (they were freaking out) ..and for some dumb reason i just didn't want to be the one that took their baby away .. as i said..they were watching me .. saving him/her for my enjoyment was so not on my agenda. Robbie Anne, I hope I have got the names correct? They seem very scared and unsure, almost like they don't trust us. 2) He may have realised that his female companion Magpie is no longer 'around' and is off looking for another 'mate'! The Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen) is a medium-sized black and white bird native to Australia. I have my own family of maggies (well I call them mine). My first meeting with them was 5 years ago when 2 Magpies appeared in my back yard about 1 month before the 2010 grand final. I have been feeding a family of magpies for over 12 years with the mail being able to hand feed. Although we can't make it out as yet we have an idea that there may be another magpie hatchling in the nest. Peter (author) from Australia on September 21, 2016: Hi there Lorraine :) what a great Magpie story one I will remember for some time :). The Tawny Frogmouth certainly is an interesting bird and I'm sure that when you start putting out the food to attract some Magpies they will appear very quickly! If they can hear worms what do they hear ? Do Magpies mate for life? Peter (author) from Australia on May 01, 2016: @Ron firstly let me apologize for the tardiness in replying to your great Magpie post :). I am saddened to read that "the decision was made to humanely euthanise the baby magpie" as I feel this was not yours of the vets to make. They are very territorial and will fight with other Magpies to keep there neck of the woods. That would definitely explain the reason that the younger of the three magpies seems much more confident than the other two! I have just read all your amazing stories. Every morning and afternoon when I arrive home I put out their favourite food, mince meat, plus bread and wild birdseed mix. Unfortunately for us up here in the sticks we don't have many choices and they are the best of a not so good bunch ? I watched the video of little one year old. He even got to the point where once he'd had enough to eat, he'd sit in the grass in front of us and just hang out. Thank you for listening, I really hope he returns. btw: If you have have any pictures relating to your Magpies and would like them included in the article for people to see by all means submit them to me via email attachments. There's a first time for everything. They also sing complex songs, and the sound of magpies can often be heard early in the morning as the sun rises. The female got so used to being fed that oneday it walked into my lounge room to my surprise giving me that stare of "well are you going to feed me?". Also they often live in fairly large groups. Collingwood went on to break a 32 year premiership drought that day. no need to apologise i myself didn't log back in here til Monday just gone. Wow, what a wonderful experience .... How amazing is that. Peter (author) from Australia on September 26, 2014: @William I must preface my comment by stating once again that "I am not an expert" ! For most of the year, the wren is a solitary bird that fiercely protects his territory. Answer. Still no Maggie family to love yet..... we have a lot of reptiles around this area as well as tiny tiny birds that look like they are from the finch family. More or less. You will get a response, guaranteed :). They have a young one that joins them on my lawn. I really enjoy helping others and seeing how this website helps so many people, I really want to continue to make it grow and be successful. Peter (author) from Australia on September 16, 2014: @Oldbeakie Hi Di thanks for the update. Our own experiences in the past lead me to believe that your Magpie family will find a new tree to rebuild in and soon come back to renew their friendship with you ! What a predicament :), I'm glad you cleared that up for me, I'm really sorry if I offended you with my comment :). Last year they introduced us to their baby and about six months ago they kicked him out of home. We are Magpie nutters as well and sit on our deck watching them fossicking away all day for food and teaching their young to do the same! Young magpies leave the nest around 27 days after hatching. 1) The younger females in my experience usually leave the family group and find a non-related male ( probably a natural instinct to keep the line pure) In your instance the stronger young female may have challenged the old Mum and won the fight (survival of the fittest so to speak). In the meantime I will do some research of my own and see what I can find out! I'm not sure of the accuracy of this observation in that the Male Magpie has 'pure white' back feathers but the female has a 'scalloped' look on the back ! I managed to get a picture of one of the babies on Monday and i logged in here to try and post it .. but Monday night one of the babies was hit by a car (i heard the commotion) .. i picked it up off the road and it 'came to' .. parents were swooping me and i was in many minds about what to do .. in hindsight i should've taken it to the AEC..i was very distressed and thinking it would be euthanased ..it was managing to hop up the tree to as high as the fenceline .. but in tending to that baby i think the seagulls got their other baby and after speaking to a neighbour there were apparently three babies but she thinks dogs may have got the 3rd one a few weeks back. I feel generally speaking that there is usually only one Alpha Male in any family although we have found that females or Aunties as we call them can hang around and help in feeding the mothers younger chicks. I will wait for him to come back, in the meantime I will care for my two feathery companions, and the rest of my bird family. Our whole family has been devastated by the accident, but dad (magpie) has not returned. One interesting nest is the Swallows nest made out of all sorts of things held together with what looks like mud ? I have seen them break the bread into smaller pieces (btw bread is not good for Magpies) and rub it into the dirt to soften it up for their babies. Our place in tassie covers three acres most of it wrapped around the house and we love watching the fun and games the magpies get up to. Nah only joking lol Go..... Tigers :), hello ! I believe most of the people who live nearby know that these are my maggies as I am sure they hear me calling them each morning and if they looked closely they would see them fly down to me. GOTTA love Telstra. If you want to send me some images to share I can always post them onto this article? The Australian Magpie is a black and white bird native to Australia...Different to European Magpie. They become reliant on getting the feed and loose the 'knowledge' to forage for their own tucker. On the off chance the male magpie passes away before the female, the female will take on another male partner who will help her raise and protect her young. lol. I feed them mince meat & other bits & pieces but their favourite is grated cheese. And since magpies can live between 25 and 30 years and are territorial, they can develop lifelong friendships with humans. Then it dawned on me: If the Magpie did not enjoy the interaction it would just fly away. It seems to me that you have done everything right and on the surface it surprises me that the 'whole family' just up and disappears at the same time. In my experience I have found that the Male Magpie is the one that is 'banished' from the flock as, very similar to us humans, having two Alpha males in the household is not good for the harmony of the family ! Went back to the old house to do some work and the Maggies followed me everywhere. I am very keen on watching the birds and I got my family to help make a website where I can share some of my hints, tips and tricks and share valuable information. Magpies mate for life. Peter (author) from Australia on March 07, 2015: @Midge first of all lets all thank you for sharing your Magpie tale and welcome to the growing family of Magpie Lovers :). Many times I have watched Magpies take multiple baths and then 'preen' themselves, it's my opinion that this is how they look after their personal hygiene :), If you come up with any other possibilities drop by and let us know. Peter (author) from Australia on October 14, 2014: Hi @Linda, welcome and it's great to hear that you have a Magpie family to enrich your life :). I'm surprised that you have not been able to attract any Magpies, just a thought have you tried putting out some raw mince beef to lure them over :) Don't want to drag in the vermin though! I believe that Magpies do have a way of understanding / communicating with we humans, if we take the time to listen and observe their behavour ! Today I saw a magpie put its foot on a piece of bread and break the bread using its beak. After a few weeks the task of getting the nestling to fly was at hand for the parent Magpies! Our little Toy Poodle 'Oliver' just sits and watches when we feed the Magpies and waits for his share. How intelligent are jackdaws? I don't have a problem with that at all :), We would miss our family of wild magpies as we interact with them every day :), Magpies are actually from the same family as the Butcher bird (. They are made from twigs and mud and aren’t the neatest looking structures. great liittle mate. Source: Bird On! I can't verify that though, my tree climbing days are way behind me. Lol Oldbeakie (Diana) Bridgeman Downs in Brisbane QLD. I feed them various things. You all make me miss my family even more.... Good Night Nutters... Belcaesar x. Peter (author) from Australia on May 12, 2014: @Laura I have watched your video with mouth wide open lol. The nest is round, about 150 mm in diameter with vertical sides and is usually placed on a flat branch somewhere near water or on a horizontal beam of a telephone pole. Wrong, we were not counting on the maternal instincts of the Mum Magpie! Do the male and female crow mate for life? Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass and laid it by the corpse. The Australian Magpie should not be confused with the smaller Magpie-lark (Mudlark/Murray Magpie/Peewee in the other States of Australia) (Grallina Cyanoleuca). I'm also surprised that the Magpies 'tolerate' the Butcher Birds, who have a tendency to steal the unhatched eggs for their meals ! Magpie attacks For most of the year magpies are not aggressive, but for 4 to 6 weeks during nesting they will often defend their territory vigorously. It all happened too long ago for me to remember the exact details but I do still believe that we came to the right conclusion! It has absolutely amazed me just how many people have enjoyed an experience with a family of Magpies. Sorry I have not replied earlier, however I sure enjoyed reading your Magpie experiences. This made me wonder do magpies mate for life, and if so, just how long that might be for? Being cautious not to overfeed, I've become rather attached to these birds and have fallen in love with another nearby magpie family that share my lawn with the original 3. Oliversmum and I were both terribly upset for the Mum and Dad Magpie and they seemed to be fretting themselves. Once a male and female become a … well my baby magpie was fine a few nights ago in all that rain .. but i'd been seeing less and less of it and have since read that juvenile magpies can be forced to leave the group or just leave anyway as early as 8 months old !! i'm sure they would be if they could be but they can't be around here .. they're in a rented property over the road but they have dogs :( and of course there's the odd stray cat .. bumpy leg has raised her babies high in the tree tops and this year they've made it ..yayyy. In the 20 metres or so that I had to walk from picking up the baby the Mum Magpie attacked me all of the way. Anyway, I am just so excited to have connection back so I will talk to you later. I'm sure all of the other Magpie Nutters would love to keep hearing updates ? That good old Bumpy Leg is doing really well and seems to be quite the Matriarch. Sadly not. Sign up to our Newsletter to receive monthly updates on feeding and caring for our garden birds. Yes the Chicks hobble around on the ground as their 'fledgling' feathers have not grown sufficiently enough for them to be confident to fly. I love seeing the magpies wipe the grated cheese on the ground as if it were a worm or similar. The first Fledgling to leave the nest was no problem it came down and landed very clumsily and got up and looked for cover and over the next week or two became quite proficient at flying. I'm not familiar with them , they look like they might be 'talkers' ? If you do decide to feed birds never put out so much that they become dependent upon you and lose their natural ability to gather their own food. Lets hope it is the later and I'm sure my readers and myself would love it if you would keep us up to date ? They sit in the trees calling and I walk outside and whistle and they come down. I am jealous.... lol ... Keep up the good work x. Peter (author) from Australia on November 25, 2014: @Tassie Girl it looks like you are well and truly entrenched in the Magpie Nutters Club :). That is the question? @ Agvulpes .. the possum is a little brushy i have a photo of him/her i will try to upload it soon .. i will also try to get a pic of my magpie family ..they've been quite demanding lately lol it MUST be nesting time ! Hi there. Thanks again for sharing with us your Magpie tale. They have long memories :). Peter has been a birdwatcher since he was a young lad. Peter (author) from Australia on October 13, 2014: @Oldbeakie I agree that missmypinetree must be having a lovely time with her family of Magpies. However the Magpie chicks are quick learners and it should only be a couple of days before they are taking short flights ! Check out some of the pics up the top ? He has a beautiful red throat and breast. Anonymous. When it did come out of hiding we could see that it was limping and one of it's wings was hanging down lower than normal. 0 0. Now I have 4 magpies to feed whilst my cat sneaks up to them hoping for an easy feed of them. Magpies are very territorial, and once they are part of … I also enjoyed seeing Mr Magpie teaching the how to find food late last year! It is a shame that so called 'progress' must interfere with our native life ! There is nothing quite like the feeling that you 'get' when you hold your hand out to a 'wild' animal and they trust you enough to come and take food from you! I and I'm sure our many readers would love to hear the next installment of your Magpie adventure... Firstly I would like to apologize to all the 'commentors' on this Hub about the Australian Magpie for my delay in replying to comments that they have left! Peter (author) from Australia on March 09, 2015: @belcaesar wow you do have quite collection of 'animals' on your property ! Hence the Conure Chicks. It's great to hear that you are only giving them snacks as we do try to talk people out of the idea of feeding the Magpie too much! Do you think that we are feeding the same birds, or do you think this is a different family of magpies? A couple of weeks later a baby magpie appeared with the parents and the cycle continued until a few months later I observed the father pretty much pecking the young one during feeding to move on and get on with your own life. If you have a story to tell, or a question to ask, about a family or individual Magpie just scroll down to the 'comment box' and leave a comment. I am assuming mate as they click beaks. Anyway, I have caught up on everyone stories and they are fantastic. I have been feeding my mum and dad maggie now for 7 years and they have become very tame with daddy maggie eating out of my hand. i'm so upset at not hearing their beautiful cries anymore ..thank you for letting me vent i know i can't save the world but im still very down .. whale watching ..that sounds beautiful.. i think i've seen enough seagulls though .. take care all of you magpie lovers .. there's always next year :). Magpies have a good memory for good deeds as well as bad and they may be just 'breaking' you in to their new family who have not got familiar enough for 100% trust! @missmypinetree it is great to read about your menagerie of the various 'animals' and isn't it great to see how the different species, if treated right, can get on together so well! I'd be interested to hear some facts. Unless a mate is killed or severely incapacitated, crows appear to stay with the same mate year after year. The survival of the species is a huge 'urge' in every animal and I'm sure Dad magpie is only doing his 'bit' to keep the Magpie breed going strong! Hi, I live in West Brunswick Melbourne. ... No. It appears that I might be birdist?? Peter (author) from Australia on August 09, 2017: Hi Dianne and thanks for the great observation and share ! That video is amazing I don't think I have seen anything like it and do appreciate that Laura shared it with us Nutters here :), Once again! Peter (author) from Australia on August 23, 2015: @Nathan you raise a 'great' point and I would like to explain that "the decision to humanely euthanise the baby magpie" was not arrived at quickly! I called them for about 5 minutes, but they still did not come to me and eventually they flew away. @Claire yes the magpies have a way of 'selecting' a family don't they ? He would love to share with you images and stories about Australian birds ! We could see their nest high in a Cyprus Pine tree and as soon as we opened our door the Magpies would glide down and land gracefully on our lawn. Another magpie did the same. (Literally). From what I have read I might ask the question if you have a dam close by? Thanks for your patience :). Oliversmum and myself have been up in Merimbula doing some Whale watching and what an experience that is !!! Anyway enough of the talking! He'll help protect the … LOL on your 22 Magpies on GF day on 1990. William thanks for the great question and I hope this gives you some sort of explanation? Be the first to answer! Granted I haven't seen it leave it's perch yet! Well I wish you luck following the Dees I'm a big Tiger fan myself, very disappointed about the finish last year but as 'they' say " There's always next year" lol. One even sat on the couch with me! hooray ! A typical magpie clutch is six eggs. They are beautiful creatures if u give them the time. Love the article and so glad to read about your experiences with these creatures. Koalas do not mate for life. There's an Alpha male in the family though he's quite nasty to the baby .. Average lifespan: 23 – 25 years, although some magpies have been reported to live to up to the age of 30! I am not a Vet myself and hold no Medical degrees so I had to rely on the Vets advise that the young bird had too many injuries to fend for itself. It would be a sad old world indeed if we could not get out in the fresh air and communicate with another species placed on this planet to share it's natural beauties :). maybe there's only one ? I'm getting a little worried as I haven't seen them in about 4 days. A male magpie, attracted to a female decoy, will attempt to court and mate with her unless his mate accompanies him, in which case their joint response is aggressive. Jen Wood from Australia on October 29, 2015: My Dad feeds magpies with mince in his backyard and has been doing so for over a decade. Sad, I know, but we must all eat to survive, Right? I have discovered he has twining or cotton wrapped around one of his feet and and would like to know would he survive on one leg if i cant catch him to remove it. They are large domed affairs, often with 2 entrances. when do the baby cries stop ? However they will share their space with other species without a problem. It would seem that the Magpie Nutters Club is growing :). I still have not been able to find one case of a whole family of Magpies just 'disappearing'. Very quickly my 4 swooped this interloper and moved him on. Peter (author) from Australia on November 03, 2014: Hi there @missmypinetree and sorry for being tardy with my reply. I live on a service road on a main road and there is a strip of grass separating the service and main road. I went back inside and picked up my binoculars and saw him fly away. Magpie juvenile, approx 12 months old showing a dark blue/blackish bill. However, if a male is killed while the young are in the nest, the female will take a new partner. Nice to see you back and look forward to more of your Magpie / bird tales :), Well, Finally a new house and internet, which took a lifetime of convincing Telstra. You can check out the recipes above or: http://www.faunarescue.org.au/bird-insectivore.htm. By this time the surviving baby Magpie was also queuing up for its food. To some degree, this is true, magpies are thought to have earned their bad reputation in part due to their willingness to attack when they’re alone. It is so hard with Magpies, just when you think they are the smartest they up and do things that are 'instinctive' and put themselves in harms way. Last year i moved onto a 3 acre property and was happy to be told by the previous owner that they have 2 regular magpies staying almost 10 years now. Peter (author) from Australia on December 28, 2014: @Tassie Girl , sorry for the delay in replying but I have just recovered your comment from the 'Spam filter' :(. i only pray i can hear their beautiful 'mag mag mag' cries in the morning..or when this horrible wind settles. Even the Wattle birds like this particular delicacy. Survival of the species means that the other males leave home (or are pushed out) , find a non-related female and start their own family. What you have described sounds pretty much what I have experienced myself. I have a problem. ;D I hope you guys like it! Can stroke his breast and his feet. Unlike other birds they walk fairly upright and do not hop or waddle like most other birds. It then ate the pieces. I followed him with the binoculars and saw him land in a tree, then 3 others arrived. What was the reason the vet and you decided that what you thought/wanted to do was more important that what its parents wanted to do? Peter (author) from Australia on October 04, 2014: @missmypinetree... wow that wind sure was something wasn't it ? It it takes 24 days for them to hatch. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. we have a lovely family of magpies who visit everyday. Recently our other native birds, especially the Wattle Honey Eaters have been building nests and breeding and are behaving very aggresively toward other birds that they normally tolerate! :) they're almost fully fledged ! I had a very large mob back in 1990 and the morning of the grand final I opened the back door to find exactly 22 magpies waiting to be fed their favourite meal in peanuts. :). Thanks to Robbie Anne for taking the photos and agreeing to share them with the readers at Hubpages: Taeko and Dumbo (the Magpie ) devour their brekkys :), Dumbo (Magpie) and Taeko enjoying afternoon tea :). I am in Camberwell in Melbourne. Magpies do not have the best of reputations. Peter (author) from Australia on September 13, 2014: G'day David and thanks for dropping by :) I will have a look at your Blog and see how your Magpies are going ! Greg and I are both now working at the same place at a huge major produce store near us. (I called him Bashful, cause he was very shy after having a fishing line wrapped around his leg, which I eventually removed) He would still sneak over when he thought nobody was looking, but I haven't seen him for a week. One for sorrow, two for joy… this makes me think that solitary magpies are lonely and only become happy when they’re in a pair. ‘Two for … I don't think that I have ever seen a Magpie as old looking as your 'Beakie' he does seem to be a grand old man of the Magpie family ? Have you seen how a dog will dig and roll around in the dirt to find some cool spot, I think the Magpies do it for the same reason ! Nathan thanks again for dropping by and raising this 'ethical' question ? Some scratches are showing due to either fighting or scavenging for food. It was hiding in the bushes and was very hard to see as Mum and Dad Magpie were very protective and would not let anyone near to the two fledglings. Hi, I'm wondering if you can enlighten me? Peter (author) from Australia on August 04, 2014: @missmypinetree Yep never underestimate a wounded Magpie . I can't think of much else that would cause them to up and leave so I will leave it open to our other readers. Oh you are so lucky having a Ring Tail Possum and baby in residence, lets hope that they become part of you family ! @Colleen not from what i've seen .. my magpies have done everything they can to save their babies ..it's just they're not finding the right tree :( .. i looked out my kitchen window last year and saw so many seagulls circling that i knew the magpie babies had no chance :( .. words can't describe how i felt .. Hello Agvulpes .. well the Magpies just won (and i'm a Tigers supporter remember haha) .. the commentator said 'never underestimate a wounded Magpie' .. ain't that the truth ! Pepa does not hurt him but she is a formidable dog to something looking up. Picking up the baby Magpie was not the problem, it did not struggle at all and fortunately for me, knowing how hard Magpies can attack, I had put on a thick jacket and a reasonable hat. It looks like 'life' has moved on doesn't it :). Xx. I have not seen my maggie family now for 4 weeks and I am getting quite worried about them. Please let's know how the little Magpies are handling their new life :). Mum and Dad Magpie could also be sharing nest sitting duties until their eggs have hatched ? Next step touch his back but so far not much luck. So with a combination of these senses the magpie can feel the Worm moving through the ground with it's feet and by focusing its hearing can pinpoint the hole where the Worm is going to emerge from and with it's head cocked to one side can focus its 'eye' (like we do when aiming a camera )on the hole for it to plunge it's beak into the ground to grab the unsuspecting worm. Claire thanks so much for sharing your story. It looks like your Miss Possy should be called Miss Bossy. Looks like we are in for an early Spring so don't give up just yet :). it's quite big ! Is it possible that this was a conspiracy between father and daughter so they could begin a relationship together? The main devotion of my spare time is spent bird watching and gardening. Unfortunately I did not have any tidbits to give them. We then took the baby to the Vets for a complete inspection. The most common name for a group of magpies is 'A Parliament'. Magpie dad looking great in black and white, Magpie mum with her slightly greyish back. I have photos of him sitting on the driveway surrounded by up to 15 maggies. It looks like the Magpies will have to wait another 32 years for another premiership! My guess is that their senses are more 'heightened' than those of we humans? I have a family of 5 Magpies - Grannie, an Alpha Male, a younger male, his Sister and an 18 month old Female who got all of her black adult plumage about 3 months ago. Maybe something like this has occured in your area and the Magpies have temporarily relocated :). its been the most beautiful relationship to watch! Clutch size varies by species, but on average females lay about six eggs per clutch. It took me a while to get my head around the fact that the Magpie was allowing your young son to do the things he did. (Photo: Getty Images). The Missus was a lot more wary and always stayed about 2-3 metres away. ooh grated cheese ..that's a bit cheaper than mince ! They need to be big, the birds can lay as many as 8 eggs, though it is unlikely they will all survive. 1 decade ago. Each year they have had babies and brought them down to meet me, I feel very special that they trust me enough to do this. I still have my 3 magpies lol even little miss with her bumpy leg that healed just nicely ..i still recognise her though because of the slight bump .. sadly they've not added to their nest since my pine tree was cut down but they're hanging in there !! I have a biased affection for our Black and White feathered friends,being a pies supporter. They also seem to 'pant' similar to a dog! They have many traits similar to we humans ! Everyday they would return as I ventured my back yard.They would watch from the tall trees in a school behind my house. I agree with you that Magpies are beautiful and friendly birds ! It did not take us long to come to the conclusion that things were not improving and that sooner rather than later something would have to be done for this poor Fledgling. I've seen the baby magpie lie down in submission etc.. for the poster that was asking ..because of his/her Alpha male parent .. and Bumpy Leg is definitely the Mum, Happy Magpieing and guess what Agvulpes I will be at the G Thursday night GO TIGES :), I don't see many eagles around here but the seagulls sure upset my Magpies.. and lose lol. Now I think about it, and have seen these 4 maggies not 3, do you think it is possible that these 4 maggies were successful in taking over the territory of my maggie family, and pushing my family out. Well we can't wait to hear what your Magpie friends have got up to and would love to see the images ? Magpies have always been surrounded by superstition, and there are many versions of … However, only around one in ten males in breeding magpie … My partner and I were quite sure that we were actually feeding the alpha male and female as they were quite aggressive towards all other birds, including their own baby once they'd had enough of him. website. He builds multiple nests in a small vicinity, hoping that she will approve of one of them. (Just my opinion though). Telling the difference between baby Magpies and their Mums and Dads can sometimes be a bit difficult?Baby and juvenile magpies have a darker bill than the adult magpie.It has been reported that Magpies can live up to 30 years and as the magpie ages it's bill starts to whiten leaving a dark blueish section at the point.Picking the gender of a Magpie is not as easy?In our neck of the wood, the Magpie male is a larger bird and usually more dominant and aggressive.If you look at the back of a male Magpie the 'white' part of his back is almost pure white whereas the female Magpie has a more mottled 'white' section. If I am late rising out of bed on the weekend, they come and sit outside my window and call me until I go outside, have a chat with them and feed them. I hope you have the time to keep us up to date with your very own Magpie story :). The Australian Magpies are monogamous, and would mate and breed in their respective territories that they defend against predators and other groups of magpies. As far as where they roost in the wild winds ?, I would say you are correct as I have been told by a number of people that when you are deep in the heart of a large tree it is quite calm, it just 'sways' a lot ! Now they come morning and night on to my husbands shed to be fed fresh mince. and hope your Magpie family can settle into a routine life style! This is a part of their eating habits, and has been studied in pet/domesticated magpies. When they do this the group is a matriarchal society, Mama rules the roost. I hold out hope that they will surprise me one morning (hopefully soon) with their new little babies and all will go back to normal. I hope that the second is the case if so he may just turn up one day with a new female Magpie by his side ! Conversely in China and Korea magpies are seen as bringing good luck. On average this is around 3 years but there have been some recordings of magpies making it into the early 20s! I hope you enjoy the images and if anyone has a Magpie story or image that they would like to share please get in touch with me via my profile page:). If you see one on its own, then it may have had the misfortune to lose its mate. I cannot get rid of them and just wish they were Maggies, I have taken down some Bamboo between us and the bush and hope that will bring them in more... For your question Agvulpes. .. it's not a game i'd like to be at lol it will be feral ! I'm sorry i've not posted sooner but i now have a little possum that comes just before dusk every night lol he/she is blind in one eye :( ..not quite an adult yet ..loving our Aussie babies lol ..oh and by the way I managed to make it to the G last nite to see a game ..go Tiges ! Yet only a little way away you have to be careful at breeding time. They sure are great birds aren't they ? I know it is breading season, could their absence be because they are looking after their new babies? Thanks again for sharing your encounters and please keep us up to date on your newly acquired Magpie family ??? Magpies being omnivores are never short of food and we often see them fossicking through the cut grass for fresh food. this awful wind :(. Though in my experience the older Mapies don't remain the Alpha bird for that length of time, so your old boy is doing pretty well :). Could anyone help me with that. Lol Di xx. Thank you Agvulpes so much for your reply. Well I guess Harry can be male or female ? Magpies generally mate for life, although the alpha male generally has more than one female with which to mate and they live as a type of family commune. They even wait for my car of an afternoon and guaranteed, by the time I am inside, they are waiting for their food. In general, it appears that they do. Magpies are very territorial, and once they are part of a mated pair, rarely stray far from their 12-acre borders. after two years of no babies..hopefully they are now a family of 4 or 5 . Colleen as you have already discovered there is a lot of trust involved in this process and at time some 'broken hearts' but in the end I'm sure you will say "It's been well worth it " :). (Magpies are not allowed to be kept as Pets). I find the Australian Magpie one of the most intriguing birds that I have studied. Thanks. So chin up and maybe in the morning they will be there to wake you up with their beautiful Magpie Warble :). Your Pepa and Odie sure sound like great characters and very friendly, except to the Mynas of course lol It could be the Mynas have taken 'possession' of your property but I would have thought that at worst they would co-exist or the Magpies would be a more powerful breed to drive out the Mynas ? I still hear magpies carolling in the morning and sporadically throughout the day. We do not feed them everyday as there are a lot of young and do not want them the rely on the daily feedings, however my partner does 'talk' to them everyday. Peter (author) from Australia on April 14, 2018: Hi there Bev and thanks for the story on your Magpie family. I'm not too sure but I would think that the Magpies being 'grazers' would not appreciate being the 'prey' for snakes, lizards etc.. :). Occasionally they have a baby with them, but it doesn't seem like a new baby as it doesn't rely on them for food, or make a sound. Now we have two magpies that visit our backyard, but they don't seem to be the same ones? For about 3 months a young maggie has been visiting us. Magpies are renowned for being very territorial and it is my opinion that if the birds were not nesting at the time of the trees being felled they would soon find a new home close to where they were located. Also in my experience the Magpie family (when you get one and I'm sure you will lol) only has one 'alpha' male and more than one female bird ? How wonderful they look. By my observations I see the same thing as you with the Magpie cocking its head to one side then dig its beak into the ground and pulling out a worm. Thank you very much Agvulpes (Peter) and missmvpinetree. :). I understand they are ground dwellers until their tail feathers grow enough to be able to fly. The nesting season of these birds is between August and October. Female magpie has bill turning white indication some age and mottled back indicating - female. Right? I've been feeding a family of magpies for over a year, when the babies were little things being fed by their mother and whinging constantly. Kitty...Thanks again for sharing your lovely story :). anyway enjoy your magpie families .. i will keep you posted ! In the UK, a lone magpie is considered especially ominous and it is commonplace to voice a respectful enquiry as to the health of its wife and children. Just as an add on to your comment, on Sunday I was lucky enough to see a Magpie drive away an Eagle! Oh yep the Magpie are very protective of their young as I have found out many times and they hate the Currawongs! Although slightly larger The Australian Magpie is more closely related to the Butcherbird. I am envious of you being able to play the guitar and I'm sure that the Magpies love the sound. I can relate to how you feel , I felt like a 'kidnapper' when I 'rescued' our little Magpie baby with the broken wing. Is there anyone I can go to that will help these birds keep their homes? Hmm... ok lets get down to the serious matter of 'where have my Magpies gone' ? Just a thought on the Mince that your Dad feeds the birds. Mating for life or death Magpies will often mate for life. Speaking for myself and I'm sure our other Magpie Nutters would love to read your children's books about Magpies so let's know how it is progressing? Lets hope !!! I think us humans need to learn a little from our wild life species, thus being the ability to let go of hardships and move on without guilt or blame, there's a lesson to learn in that. Unfortunately I can't give you a definite answer on whether dad Magpie will return but I could offer a guess ? I arrived home yesterday afternoon and saw a male maggie sitting on one of the fence posts down the end of the paddock. I would also add that they are intelligent and misunderstood. Magpies generally mate for life , although the alpha male generally has more than one female with which to mate and they live as a type of family commune. and *sigh* i don't hold out much hope.. i just saw a baby ..it's a hopelessly slow flyer and its following them back and forth across this busy road.. if i still had my pine tree there would be no going back and forth surely .. and i agree with you about taking it to a professional ..i really needed a cup of concrete the night that happened . As a matter of interest this afternoon, on my way back from my afternoon walk, I discovered a new nest being build by a Mum and Dad Magpie so it looks like Spring has really Sprung :). @Belcaesar G'day there :) Telstra sure has that love/hate thing going don't they. Greg and yourself seem to have found the ideal careers and I sure do wish you well in the Aquarium ! :). Try putting out special treats like 'mince meat' (just little bits) and any other treats that you can remember the Magpies enjoying. She did this for about a week, then both the male and the female completely disappeared for about two weeks. You might think that payment for his industry would be a mate for life. The surviving bird will grieve for their mate, but will then seek out another and begin the process all over again. Robbie Anne has sent in some of her photos with her cat Taeko and the Magpies see above in the main body. Seems to be a loner and other maggies give it a hard time. My other dog, Odie is forever chasing Asian Mynas off the balcony.... Odie was hospitalized for ticks and we nearly lost him. It's almost 'unthinkable' but do you have neighbors that may not like Magpies and do something to facilitate their removal ? In the mornings I go out and call them and they both fly down for their food. They are gorgeous, I do love my birds but I so wish we had the Maggie for support. Just gotta love those cute Possums, BTW is it a Ring or Bushy tail ? These small crows are highly intelligent and social, and easily pick up … I'm confused and missing my babies, and fairly sure they haven't been killed on the road. After the hatching, we could see that there were two hungry mouths to feed and both Mum and Dad Magpie were busy gathering food for the two nestlings. Peter (author) from Australia on August 09, 2014: @missmypinetree thanks for that information :) I would love to share some magpie photos with our readers ! 7. It is a lovely feeling when the Magpies come and have a chat with you and treat you like a friend, they seem to be the only birds that have this trait :), Ron thanks for sharing your Magpie anecdote with us and please if your Magpie does have a family feel free to drop in and keep us informed :). i can only pray it doesn't happen again :). Peter (author) from Australia on July 19, 2015: @missmypinetree nice to read your update! I can't recall them ever staying away like this over the last 7 years. After hatching and fledging the babies often stick around and help to build a bigger nest. Peter (author) from Australia on October 13, 2015: @Linda thank you so much for your lovely comment and also welcome to the Magpie Lovers Club :). The Eagle was not impressed and left in a Hurry. There are actually many species of magpie, but most of the rumours centre on Eurasian magpies ().In … Are you anywhere near SeaWorld by any chance? Unfortunately Magpies are not an endangered species so I believe that the Authorities would more than likely tell you that nothing could be done to protect the birds habitat ? @Rob, Hi there Rob, sorry I have not replied earlier to your post :(. However whatever happens I'm sure that your kindness in looking after the Magpies, you have cemented your place in their memories. If one is seen on its own some people salute it and say: "I salute you Mr Magpie." Yay Go Tigers :). It's great to hear that you have your 'Special Time' with your feathered friends and I'm sure that they also regard it as special? Hi we have had a pair of magpies nesting in our front yard. Peter (author) from Australia on April 13, 2014: G'day Shar-on17 and thanks for dropping by :). On the bright side though, I witnessed a 'dog fight' between a Magpie and a very large hawk (Whistling Kite) and the magpie drove the Hawk away, not once but three times!!! Now his sibling has disappeared as well. The female Magpies on the other hand do seem to stick around their own parents ,waiting for a searching male Magpie to come and whisk them off to start the above mentioned family. the father bird has been progressively violent with pushing one of them away when he came to my door to be fed. Hawks although beautiful birds are 'hunters' and will easily capture a baby Magpie as prey. I am sure you agree with me that we do carry a heavy responsibility on our shoulders when we take on the 'task' of feeding our feathered friends. Inside is neater as the birds provide a soft inner lining made from roots, plant fibres and hair. I have had the same neighbours all the time I have been living at my home. From what I have read the problem with 'mince meat' is the preservatives that are added , not good for the birds apparently! We have laid mum magpie to rest in a special part of the garden where they would always play and eat. Reproduction of the Magpie. 2) My second thought was that a wondering raven or crow my have come across the family and the female Magpie may have died protecting the younger Magpies? Magpies mate for life and it was believed that when a magpie’s mate died it summoned an assembly of magpies who would honour the dead bird before selecting a new mate for the bereaved magpie. To digress just a bit. In the Spotlight Australian Native Birds - Australian Magpie Facts and Myths! I have been of the same opinion as you that if my maggies had more babies, they would indeed be visiting more often for more food. He is back but a whole lot slower at the moment and the mynas seem to know it. I will be interested to see if he returns. lol, Thanks again for your comment and look forward to more updates on your own Magpie family :). They mate for life These extremely loyal birds are with their partners until death do they part. The second Nestling however was not so fortunate. They are very territorial and will fight with other Magpies to keep there neck of the woods. They hoble around and use their wings to hop along the ground. Hi Walter – I also am a retired engineer and have an injured Magpie living in my backyard for 3 days. I wonder if you have put out a bird bath for the Magpies ? Great to hear the news about old Bumpy Leg you are sure collecting a lovely family of Magpies. Could you please email me your reply. Taeko and Dumbo : to share or not to share? The big male stood over everyone for food, even his own partner! A little owl recovering in North Canterbury after being attacked by magpies has lost its mate after it died trying to defend her. They greet me and thank me for food every time they see me, even responding to my poor whistling attempt. You have found out by your own experience just how territorial Magpies become ! I have not been to a footy game for years I think the last one was when the Tigers beat the Blues in a Final LOL That's how long it has been lol. Recently the female disappeared and returned about a week later. Do magpies mate for life? Two chicks in a mud nest Birds generally pair for life (though divorce is not unknown) and defend a territory together. He has recently observed a baby magpie being fed by 2 dad magpies and one mum magpie is this common? Is the young Magpie showing any sign of distress like picking at his feet etc. Laura : Thanks so much for sharing your Magpie story :), this is a video of a magpie whos been around my neighbourhood for the past few months and has become best friend with my 12 month old son! I still have one baby .. so there's a little family of four. I'm wondering if your situation has changed since you posted ? Hi, so glad I found this blog, I have to go to the top and re read it all again. What will happen to these birds when their home is gone? Thanks again for the story and I'm sure the readers would love to catch up with any updates about your Magpies that you my care to share. I had my first encounter with a family of friendly magpies less than a month ago. We seem to have a family of magpies to feed wherever we are. Over the weekend they left the nest and have managed to stay alive 3-4days so far. I have a question regarding one of their babies who has been coming down for around 4 months. Ah Montgomery what a great name for a Magpie, very General like the way they march around ! Do Magpies Mate for Life ? Grated cheese seems to be OK in moderation however most 'experts' try to educate us to only give our Magpie Family only treats and not let them become reliant on us for food. I think I could rely on a crow to steal food more than I could rely on Telstra to get communication right.