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21

Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) Alternate name(s): "Peewee", "Mudlark", "Murray Magpie", "Little Magpie", "Peewit", "Pugwall" Aboriginal name(s): "beelarl", "iyebana", "koolootaroo", "marronoo" Race "cyanoleuca": "barriindjiin" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]; "dilabot", "byoolkolyedi", "koolyibarak" (WA) Size: 26-30 cm Weight: 60-100 g

Australia: Family Group 21 Family Group 21 Table White-eared Monarch Black-faced Monarch Spectacled Monarch Yellow-breasted Boatbill Broad-billed Flycatcher Leaden Flycatcher Satin Flycatcher Shining Flycatcher Restless Flycatcher Paperbark Flycatcher Rufous Fantail Arafura Fantail Mangrove Grey Fantail Grey Fantail Northern Fantail Willie Wagtail Spangled Drongo Magpie-lark Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Magpie-larks are the largest of the Australian monarchs. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are slightly different. Both sexes have a black crown, nape of the neck and back. They have a broad white wing bar and white tips to flight feathers and tail feathers. Both sexes also have identical black chests and an otherwise white front (sides, belly, undertail coverts). The only visible differences are on the head and neck. Male Magpie-larks have a black throat and frons, while females have black throat and frons. Males have white eyebrows and, disconnected from those, big white patches on the sides of the neck, including the ear coverts. Females have a black and a parallel white stripe on each side of the head from the eyebrow to the shoulder. In addition, male Magpie-larks have a thin white half arc under the eyes that females don't have. Both sexes have eyes with whitish irises. The bill is light horn-coloured with some black on the top of the upper mandible, near the base and the tip. The legs and feet are dark-grey. Juveniles and immature Magpie-larks have dark-grey irises and a dark bill.

Taxonomy, classification See Magpie-lark at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information Magpie-larks have been found to be closely related to other species of monarchs.

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Magpie-lark is available HERE . There are two races of Magpie-larks in Australia, both of which are endemic. They can be found over large parts of the continent, including much of the interior. Nominate race "cyanoleuca" is found almost everywhere to the South of a line connecting Port Douglas, QLD, with Mt. Isa, QLD, and on to Eighty Mile Beach, WA, with the following exceptions: They are not found in the Simpson Desert North of Lake Eyre, not in the Nullarbor, the Great Victoria Desert, the Gibson Desert and the Great Sandy Desert. Outside the breeding season they do cross the Bass Strait to the small islands there and to the North coast of Tasmania. Race "neglecta" is found anywhere to the North of the line mentioned above, except the area around Tennant Creek, NT. Magpie-larks are often found in open grassland with scattered trees, also farmland with scattered trees. They adapt to the presence of humans very well and can often be found in urban parks and gardens and around farms. Where to look? How to find this species? Magpie-larks are not afraid of the presence of humans at all. They can be found in many gardens, where they usually can be seen hunting insects on lawns.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "cyanoleuca" Magpie-larks (commonly known as "Peewees") can be seen almost everywhere in Australia, including the area of Narrabri, NSW. In inland NSW race "cyanoleuca" is found. They are also found by us regularly in many locations along the Australian East coast. Magpie-larks, race "cyanoleuca", were also seen by us also on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia in March 2008. Unlike Australian Magpies, Magpie-larks were found in remote locations only near the scattered human settlements, but not out in remote bushland in the Flinders or Gammon Ranges or the nearby plains and saltpans. Magpie-larks, race "cyanoleuca", are also common along the Australian West coast and in the interior of WA, as reported by J. Greaves. Race "neglecta" We first recorded Magpie-larks, race "neglecta", in various locations in and around Darwin, NT, in August 2014. They were found in abundance in the same area by H. Mouritsen in October 2015. J. Greaves reports spotting Magpie-larks, race "neglecta", in Broome, WA, in April 2015 and at the Granites Gold Mine, inland NT, in June 2015.

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
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2017]

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

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

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

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]

While calling, this male Magpie-lark is showing its underwing pattern
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, January 2006]

FEMALE

Female Magpie-lark on our lawn
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

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

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

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

Lateral view of an immature 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)

Dorsal 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

Ventral view of a Magpie-lark, race "neglecta"
[Darwin, NT, August 2014]

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", "malunna" = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Bowl

Material: Mud

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.

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

This Magpie-lark nest is still under construction
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2007]

THe same Magpie-lark nest seen from the other side, now complete
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2007]

Here a female Magpie-lark sitting on its nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2008]

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

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]

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]

This Magpie-lark is sitting on its nest, built in March (after a big rainfall event), in late April, with winter approaching; this is the Magpie-lark whose calls were recorded on 23 April 2014
[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]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = 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

 

At our former place 20 km south of Narrabri Magpie-larks were winter guests. During the summer of 2005 they preferred to stay in the adjacent bush. In 2006 they occasionally came for a bath and a drink on very hot days. 20 km east of Narrabri they nest in the trees near the house.

Seen by us to defend their territory vigorously against the intrusion of Channel-billed Cuckoos, who will host on them if given a chance.

Food, Diet

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.

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.mp3	cyanoleuca (SE QLD)	Contact call	© ART
peewee_20140107.mp3	cyanoleuca (NW NSW)	Contact call	© MD
peewee_art_20131203.mp3	cyanoleuca (SE QLD)	Pair Q&A (in-flight)	© ART
peewee_20140224.mp3	cyanoleuca (NW NSW)	Warning call	© MD
peewee_20140330.mp3	cyanoleuca (NW NSW)	Warning call (Aust. Raven)	© MD
peewee_art_20131123.mp3	cyanoleuca (SE QLD)	Alarm call	© ART
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_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

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.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us:          Last updated: 13 Sep. 2017.