Aust birds    Bird names   News   1-26    Habitats    Key plants    Glossary    Plumage    Nests    Tips    Thumbnails    Gen. info    Sponsors    Photos for sale   
NON-PASSERINES     1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10     11     12     13     14 15     16     17     18     19     20     21     22     23     24     25     26     PASSERINES
Common names sorted alphabetically: A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   W   Y  

21

Magpie-lark

(Grallina cyanoleuca)
Alternate name(s): "Peewee", "Mudlark", "Murray Magpie", "Little Magpie", "Peewit", "Pugwall"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "cyanoleuca": "barriindjiin" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]; "bilbirin", "bimbim", "bulam-bulam", "bulin-bulihn" [bundjalung}; "biyilbiyil" [ngadjon]; "tjirrmp-tjirrmp"/"tjirrm-tjirrm" [tjapwurrung, eastern djadjawurrung]; "dilabot", "byoolkolyedi", "koolyibarak" (WA); "beelarl", "iyebana", "koolootaroo", "marronoo"

Size: 26-30 cm
Weight: 60-100 g
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Magpie-lark at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "cyanoleuca"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Magpie-lark (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Near-lateral view of a male Magpie-lark going for a drink in hot weather
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

Lateral view of a male Magpie-lark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2013]

Lateral view of a male Magpie-lark (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Torquay, VIC, April 2022]

Lateral view of a preening male Magpie-lark (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[South West Rocks, NSW, July 2017]

Lateral view of a male Magpie-lark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Magpie-lark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Magpie-lark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2017]

Dorsal view of a male Magpie-lark looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Torquay, VIC, April 2022]

Male Magpie-lark trying to impress the thought on a Channel-billed Cuckoo near its nest that it would be advantageous for it to move on
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2008]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Magpie-lark on a lawn
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

Dorsal view of a female Magpie-lark
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

PAIR

Near-frontal/ventral view of a pair of Magpie-larks; male on the right, female on the left
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Magpie-lark; note the dark-grey irises and the greyish bill
[Burren Junction, NSW, December 2015]

Lateral view of a juvenile Magpie-lark
[Burren Junction, NSW, December 2015]

Frontal view of a fledgling Magpie-lark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2007]

Near-lateral view of a fledgling Magpie-lark (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a fledgling Magpie-lark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2007]

This young Magpie-lark was on its first day out of the nest, squawking together with its siblings to be fed...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2010]

... and here is dad Magpie-lark with food
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2010]

Race "neglecta"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Magpie-lark foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[East Point Reserve, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

Lateral view of a male Magpie-lark near its nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, November 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Magpie-lark posturing (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, April 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Magpie-lark near its nest with two chicks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]

Ventral view of a female Magpie-lark
[Darwin, NT, August 2014]

PAIR

Frontal view of four Magpie-larks, with a clear view of the different facial patterns of adult males, centre and right, and females, top left and bottom left (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a pair of Magpie-larks - male on the left, female on the right (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a pair of Magpie-larks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Lateral view of a pair of Magpie-larks (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Leichhardt Falls, QLD, September 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a pair of Magpie-larks marking their territory (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, April 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Full-frontal view of a juvenile male Magpie-lark (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile male Magpie-lark (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jul - Jan Eggs: 3 - 5 Incubation period: 18 days Fledging age: 21 days

 

Given the right conditions, Magpie-larks can breed any time of the year.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket in mud bowl Material: Mud, grass, feathers Height above ground: 2 - 10 m

 

Additional information

Mud nests are sought after by several other species. We have compiled some more information on the (re-)use of mud nests.

Additional information

Magpie-larks like to take advantage of the protection offered by nesting under an Australian Magpie nest. There is now a separate page about various bird species nesting under the umbrella of a stronger, protective species.

Three Magpie-lark chicks begging to be fed (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]

Magpie-lark on its nest, with two chicks begging for food (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, December 2013]

Magpie-lark nestling down to warm the two chicks (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, December 2013]

View from above into a Magpie-lark nest, showing its lining
[Moree, NSW, November 2011]

Magpie-lark sitting on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, September 2020]

Close-up view of a Magpie-lark's mud nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2010]

Magpie-lark nest on a major branch of a live eucalypt
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2007]

This Magpie-lark is sitting on its nest, built in March (after a big rainfall event), in late April, with winter approaching
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2014]

Magpie-lark nest built from red soil in the interior of WA (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, August 2016]

The two Magpie-lark chicks had just fledged when this visitor, an Eastern Water Dragon, came along to have a close look
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, December 2013]

We observed how a Channel-billed Cuckoo raided a Magpie-lark nest. The chicks, which were a few days away from fledging, were thrown out. One was killed in the process, the other two survived, but were left exposed on the ground. After intervention by the local animal rescue team, both these chicks in the end survived.

One of two surviving Magpie-lark chicks near its makeshift replacement nest - this chick fledged 3 days later; its sibling did not stay, but wandered into the low-hanging branches of a nearby oleander shrub
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2021]

One of two surviving Magpie-lark chicks in the low-hanging branches of an oleander shrub; this chick flew 4 days after the Channel-billed Cuckoo attack
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2021]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 29 x 20 mm Colour: Pinkish-whiteish, with dark red-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

 

View from above into a Magpie-lark nest with 4 eggs in it
[Eulah Creek, NSW]

View from above into a Magpie-lark nest with 3 eggs in it (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Fragments of a Magpie-lark egg that fell to the ground with the nest it was in during a violent storm

Fragment of a Magpie-lark egg shell that had been disposed of by the birds
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2012]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive Elementary unit: Pair

 

Magpie-larks have been seen by us defending their nest vigorously against the intrusion of Channel-billed Cuckoos, who will host on them if given a chance.

Magpie-larks taking a bath (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]

Food, Diet

Adults: Insects Dependents: As adults Water intake: ?

Magpie-larks are insect hunters. Contrary to the technique of many other birds (e.g., flycatchers), they catch their prey by snapping at insects they disturb when strutting around on the ground.

This Magpie-lark means business - it was seen bashing the grasshopper to death (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Magpie-lark taking a small flying insect from a lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2023]

Magpie-lark taking flying ants (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, December 2020]

Magpie-lark checking for insects in a pad that an Eastern Grey Kangaroo has just scraped
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2019]

Magpie-lark with a seed pod that it subsequently devoured (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Ashmore, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2021]

Magpie-lark on the edge of a pool of water; it is not known whether the bird was drinking or hunting for insects
(photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Stanthorpe, QLD, March 2015]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

peewee_art_20131117.m4a cyanoleuca
(SE QLD)
Contact calls © ART
peewee_20140107.mp3 cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Contact calls © MD
peewee_20190206.m4a cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Contact calls © MD
peewee_20190206_2.m4a cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (pair Q&A) © MD
peewee_art_20131203.m4a cyanoleuca
(SE QLD)
Pair Q&A (in-flight) © ART
peewee_20180802_2.m4a cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Pair Q&A © MD
peewee_20140224.mp3 cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Warning call © MD
peewee_20140330.mp3 cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Warning call (Torresian Crow) © MD
peewee_art_20131123.mp3 cyanoleuca
(SE QLD)
Alarm call © ART
peewee_20220922.mp3 cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
Change of the guard at the nest © MD
peewee_20180802.m4a cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
? (Pair Q&A) © MD
 
peewee_20140816_3.mp3 neglecta
(Top End, NT)
Contact calls © MD
peewee_20140818.m4a neglecta
(Top End, NT)
Pair Q&A © MD
peewee_20140816.mp3 neglecta
(Top End, NT)
Warning call(?) © MD
peewee_pb_20180503.m4a (Darwin, NT) Alarm calls (Black Butcherbird) © PB
intract_pb_20180503.m4a (Darwin, NT) Alarmed by Black Butcherbird (+ Spangled Drongo) © PB
peewee_20140816_2.mp3 neglecta
(Top End, NT)
? © MD
peewee_20140816_4.m4a neglecta
(Top End, NT)
? © MD
peewee_20140816_5.m4a neglecta
(Top End, NT)
? © MD
Click here for more recordings

We have also recorded Magpie-larks' wing beats.

peewee_20140404_4.mp3 cyanoleuca
(NW NSW)
© MD

More Magpie-lark sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.