Magpie Fact 1:
Magpie Fact 2:
Australian magpies differ to those in other parts of the world. The magpie feeds mostly on the ground and congregates in territorial groups. They skirmish and play quite noisily. Their habitat is almost anywhere there are trees and open areas of bare, soft ground or grass; orchards, parkland, playing fields, golf courses, suburban areas and gardens.
I know I have posted here before about Magpies but I couldn't resist writing about them again.
You never know when they will swoop on you from behind !!
Scarey aren't they?
They do have a lovely characteristic call... called a carol
(click here to hear it.)
and a group of magpies singing together is called a Madrigal of Magpies.
(click here to hear them)
Lovely isn't it?
So we put up with the swooping
and take another route when we walk
'cos it only lasts for a little while
and the rest of the time they just sing to us.
Most Aussies love them.
Cheers.
We have the same problem all along the coast here in England with sea gulls. A lot of the problem is, the visitors feed them,despite the notices asking them not to.
ReplyDeleteMagpies here tend to mind their own business, although I have some very cheeky Jandaws in my garden, who stole all my fruit!
I was about to say the same as Kath about the gulls which can be a real nuisance and can be scary especially if one is eating in the vicinity! Do you have that saying about magpies that we do here: One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a letter, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold and seven for a story that can never be told?
ReplyDeleteSo let's get this straight - not only do you have poisonous spiders, lethal snakes, deadly jellyfish, bad-tempered giant crocodiles, hungry sharks down by the beach and kangaroos that kick the crap out of you - you have also got killer magpies! No wonder you like your trips to the motherland! Here we have only got Chavs, Conservatives and the price of beer to worry about.
ReplyDeleteWell, now I know! The best kind of post! Thanks for the adding the calls, always a treat for me. Funny thing: when I read your first paragraph I thought I saw "congregates in terrorist groups." Then I re-read, shook my head at my aging eyes, and thought I'd been spending too much time watch the TV News. Then I saw the photos further down, and decided I maybe wasn't so far off from your intent after all! Aggressive little buggers, aren't they!
ReplyDeleteTheir call sounds like an old modem or a robot - at least the one you linked to does!! Every interesting post. Our UK magpies don't sound like that and I don't think they are a danger to people - I've never heard of a magpie swooping incident here. They do like to steal shiny things though.
ReplyDeletei don't think we have Magpies here in The States. I've never heard of them or seen them. They are a big bird, aren't they. I love their markings of black and white. But it would scare me to death to have them swooping down on me. You always post about something interesting Helsie! Love the photos!
ReplyDeleteGreat... thanks a lot... now I'm going to have biking nightmares....giggle..giggle.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness they don't do that here, because we've quite a lot of them locally!
ReplyDeleteLove Yorkshire Pudding's comment :D
Hmmm! We have several living close to our garden. I have to say, I'm not a fan of their bird'song'!!!! Ros
ReplyDeleteMagpies are something I definitely DON'T miss from home (WA)! I remember we would wear ice cream containers on our head when we walked to the bus stop to catch the bus as kids. I was terrified of them and nothing seemed to make them stop.
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ReplyDeleteHere the robin redbreast is the bird associated with the onset of spring (except in California, where the swallows come back to Capistrano). The only swooping is done by the bluejays.
ReplyDeleteloved the photos..... not a popular bird in the uk..... they are such killers
ReplyDeleteSandy, we have yellow-billed magpies in California. They don't sing carols like Helsie's, they pretty much squawk. They are large birds and have a long childhood, staying with their parents in a flock for quite a while.
ReplyDeleteLovely sounds.
ReplyDeleteI thought birds onlny swooped at people to either protect their young or to take food. They don't seem to be doing either. Very interesting.