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Western Magpie
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a medium-sized black and white bird, closely related to the butcherbirds and currawongs. Early European settlers named it for its resemblance to the familiar European Magpie (which is a more distant relative).
Australian Magpies have a musical warbling call of extraordinary beauty. Noted New Zealand poet Denis Glover wrote "quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle, the magpies say". In contrast, young magpies screech and squawk almost continuously. Adult magpies have pure black and white plumage: juveniles mix the stark blacks and whites with lighter greys.
There are at least four different subspecies of Australian magpie:
The Black-backed Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen tibicen) found in Queensland and New South Wales, right across the Top End and most of arid Western Australia. In the future the black-backed race may be further split into four separate races, as there are regional differences between them.
The White-backed Magpie (G. tibicen leuconata) found in Victoria, South Australia, and outback NSW.
The Tasmanian Magpie (G. tibicen hypoleuca).
The Western Magpie (G. tibicen dorsalis) in the fertile south-west corner of Western Australia.
At least two of the races were originally classified as separate species, but they are cross-fertile and hybridise readily. Where their territories cross, hybrid grey or striped-backed magpies are quite common.
Magpies mate across the year, but generally in winter. Nesting takes place in winter and spring is the season when the babies are looked after. By late summer the babies either make their own clan or separate from their parents whilst staying in the same clan.
Source: wikipedia
n.b. the sound of these birds is so loud and unique that you autmatically hear them even if you only look at their picture in a book. They really laugh ha, ha, haaaaaaaaaa... |
dew77, Runnerduck, Leace has marked this note useful
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- dew77
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(13209) - [2005-11-02 5:54]
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Hello Thomas!
Funny shot.I liked moment you caught and com position a lot.
TFS...:-)
That's one intelligent bird. Well caught, excellent timing. I like the comp too.
Thanks for posting.
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 76 W: 0 N: 287]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif){kind=small}