Australian Magpie
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Artamidae Genus: Gymnorhina Gray,GR, 1840 Species: G. tibicen
Binomial name
Gymnorhina tibicen Latham, 1802

The Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen is a medium-sized black and white bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It is closely related to the butcherbirds and currawongs in the Artamidae family. Early European settlers named it for its black and white coloration, similar to the familiar European magpie, which is a distant relative. At one stage it was considered to be three separate species, though zones of hybridization between forms reinforced the idea of it as one species with several subspecies. In fact nine are now recognized.

The Australian Magpie is omnivorous, with the bulk of its varied diet made up of invertebrates. It is common and widespread. Familiar birds around Australia and New Guinea, magpies were introduced into New Zealand in the 1860s and are proving to be a pest by displacing native birds.

Taxonomy

The Australian Magpie was originally described by English ornithologist John Latham in 1802. Its specific name derived from the Latin tibicen "flute-player" or "piper" in reference to the bird's melodious call.^[1] An early recorded vernacular name is Piping Roller, written on a painting by Thomas Watling, one of a group known collectively as the Port Jackson Painter,^[2] sometime between 1788 and 1792.^[3] Tarra-won-nang was an early recorded native name from the Sydney region,^[2] while booroogong and garoogong were Wiradjuri words, and carrak was a Jardwadjali term from Victoria^[4]

The bird was called a magpie for the similarity to the similarly coloured European Magpie; it was a common practice for early settlers to name plants and animals after European counterparts.^[3] However, the latter bird is a member of the Corvidae while the Australian Magpie, though a member of a broad corvid lineage, is currently classified in the Artamidae family. Early on the affinities with butcherbirds and currawongs was recognised and the three genera placed in the family Cracticidae; subsequent studies have revealed the closeness of relations with the woodswallows with the sinking of the family into Artamidae.

Classification

The Australian Magpie was initially described as a single species, and then three, before the recognition of hybrid zones reduced it back to one again. However, there are currently thought to be nine subspecies. The Black-backed Magpie, the original Gymnorhina tibicen, has been split into at least three black-backed races:

• G. tibicen tibicen, found in eastern New South Wales
• G. tibicen terraereginae found across Queensland, central and western New South Wales and into northern South Australia
• G. tibicen eylandtensis, found across the Northern Territory
• G. tibicen longirostris, found across northern Western Australia

The White-backed Magpie, originally described as G. hypoleuca by John Gould in 1837, has similarly been split into races:

• G. tibicen tyrannica, a very large white backed form found across southern Victoria
• G. tibicen telonocua, found in southern South Australia.
• The Tasmanian Magpie, G. tibicen hypoleuca a small white-backed subspecies with a short compact bill found on King and Flinders Islands, as well as Tasmania.
• The Western Magpie, G. tibicen dorsalis was originally described as a separate species by A. J. Campbell in 1895 and is found in the fertile south-west corner of Western Australia.
• G. tibicen papuana, found in southern New Guinea.

These three races, tibicen, hypoleuca and dorsalis, were for many years considered separate species; however, they were noted to hybridise readily where their territories cross, with hybrid grey or striped-backed magpies being quite common.

Description

Adult magpies are fairly solid, well-built birds ranging from 36-44 cm in length. Plumage is pure black and white; males and females of all races have black heads, wings and underparts with white napes, shoulders and tails, which have a black terminal band. Juveniles mix the stark blacks and whites with lighter greys and browns.^[5]

Males and females are generally similar in appearance, though a few exceptions noted under individual varieties below.

Mature magpies have red eyes, in contrast to the yellow eyes of currawongs and white eyes of Australian ravens and crows. Immature birds have darker brownish eyes.

Butcherbirds are generally smaller and stockier, while magpie larks are delicate birds with white eyes.

Australian Magpies generally live to around 25 years of age,^[6] though possibly up to 30 years has been recorded.^[7]

Australian Magpies have a musical warbling call. In his poem, The Magpies, noted New Zealand poet Denis Glover wrote "quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle, the magpies said". In contrast, young magpies squawk almost continuously.

Behaviour

Magpies are almost exclusively diurnal, though may call into the night, like all members of the Artamidae.^[8] Natural predators of magpies include various species of monitor lizard and the Barking Owl.^[9]

Diet

Magpies are omnivorous, eating various items located at or near ground level including invertebrates such as earthworms, millipedes, snails, spiders and scorpions as well as a wide variety of insects - cockroaches, ants, beetles, moths and caterpillars and other larvae. Skinks, frogs, mice and other small animals as well as grain, tubers, figs and walnuts have also been recorded.^[10] The Australian Magpie is predominantly a ground feeder, pacing open areas methodically searching for insects and their larvae.^[11] One study showed birds were able to find scarab beetle larvae by sound or vibration.^[12] Birds will also take handouts from humans and will often venture into open houses to look for food. They also eat small animals like lizards and worms. They may also eat their own digestive products.

Reproduction

Magpies have a long breeding season which varies in different parts of the country; in northern parts of Australia they will breed between June and September, but not commence till August or September in cooler regions, and continuing until January in some alpine areas.^[13] The nest is a bowl-shaped structure made of sticks and lined with softer material such as grass and bark. Near human habitation, man-made material may be incorporated.^[14] Nests are built exclusively by females and generally placed high up in a tree fork and often in an exposed position.^[15]

Swooping

Magpies tend not to be afraid of people, and they live in urban areas as often as in the bush, so magpies are a familiar sight to most Australians, and their melodic song is widely enjoyed. However, if magpies feel threatened while nesting (Nesting takes place between August and October), even by an inadvertent intrusion into their territory, they will often swoop at the intruder and audibly "snap" their beaks in an attempt to drive them away. Magpies generally swoop from behind, and without warning, so attacks can be somewhat terrifying, particularly to children. For this reason, local authorities sometimes post warning signs during "swooping season", particularly in urban parks. Magpie attacks can cause injuries, typically wounds to the head and eyes. Being unexpectently swooped while cycling, can result in loss of control of the bicycle, resulting in injury and is not uncommon.^[16].^[17]



To avoid swooping attacks, the best course is to avoid the territory of nesting magpies during the relatively brief nesting season. Magpies are a protected native species in Australia, so it is illegal to kill or harm them. However, this protection is removed in some Australian States (e.g. see section 54 of the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Act ^[18]) once a magpie attacks a human, allowing for the bird to be destroyed if considered to be particularly aggressive.

If it is necessary to walk near the nest, some people prefer to wear protection such as a bicycle helmet or upturned empty ice-cream container. Magpies prefer to swoop at the back of the head; therefore, keeping the magpie in sight at all times can discourage the bird. Using a basic disguise to fool the magpie as to where a person is looking (such as painting eyes on a hat, or wearing sunglasses on the back of the head) can also prove effective, as can holding an object above one's head. In some cases, magpies may become extremely aggressive and attack people's faces; it may become very difficult to deter these birds from swooping. If a bird presents a serious nuisance the local authorities may arrange for that bird to be legally euthanised, or more commonly, to be caught and relocated to an unpopulated area.

It is claimed by some that swooping can be prevented by feeding the magpies. By this is meant not putting out a feeder, but feeding them in person. The idea is that humans thereby get removed from the "danger" category. As always when feeding wildlife, feeding should be irregular so as to discourage dependence.

Tameness

Australian Magpies are territorial, and this presents the opportunity for people to get acquainted with the local pairs and their offspring.

Popular culture

• The magpie is a commonly used emblem of sporting teams in Australia, most notably the Port Adelaide Magpies, Brisbane's Souths Logan Magpies, Melbourne's Collingwood Magpies and Sydney's Western Suburbs Magpies.
• The white-backed magpie has been featured on the South Australian flag since 1904 and coats of arms since 1984 under the name Piping Shrike.
• The popular New Zealand comic Footrot Flats features a magpie character by the name of Pew

Notes

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Gymnorhina tibicen. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Page on swooping birds by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment
• Kaplan, Gisela, Australian Magpie: Biology and Behaviour of an Unusual Songbird, CSIRO Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-643-09068-1
• Magpies - Queensland Government
• Use Of The Piping Shrike - South Australian Government
• Magpie Alert: Learning to Live with a Wild Neighbour Dr Darryl Jones. (2002) University of NSW Press

External links

• Audio file of the magpie's famous warbling call
• Australian Magpie Description and pictures.
• Biological and evolutionary information (book excerpt)
• Australian Magpie videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Magpies Behaving Badly (ABC Science Online)