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Australian MagpieAlternate name(s): "Flute Bird", "Piping Crow-shrike" (includes "Black-backed Magpie" and "White-backed Magpie")  Aboriginal name(s):
Race "tibicen":
"burrugaabu" [gamilaraay];
"galamarin"/"gulamburan"/"gulgurang"/"gurahmburuhn" [bundjalung];
Race "terraereginae": "burrugarrbuu" [yuwaalaraay]; "jawajawa" [ngadjon]; Race "dorsalis": "koorbat", "koorbardi", "koorbardo", "parwan" Race "tyrannica": "karrak", "kurruk" [yartwatjali, tjapwurrung, djadjawurrung]; "koora", "barrawarn", "bilinga", "coorabie" Size: 37-44 cm; wing span 65-85 cm Weight: 220-350 g |
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Similar |
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Description
Classification
Distribution
Sightings
Photos
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
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 Click here for a physical description
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
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Click here for sighting information
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Photos |
Race "tibicen"
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here 
.
This race is one of the races collectively called "Black-backed Magpie".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Close-up near-frontal portrait of a
warbling
male Australian Magpie
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2020]
Near-frontal view of a male Australian Magpie
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
The same male Australian Magpie as above, now accompanied by a
Noisy Miner
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Frontal view of a male Australian Magpie on its shady roost
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lamington NP,
QLD, February 2018]
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FEMALE |
Portrait of a curious female Australian Magpie
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2004]
Different frontal perspective of a female Australian Magpie
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]
Lateral view of a female Australian Magpie on our
lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Dorsal view of the same female Australian Magpie as shown above
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Here a female Australian Magpie straight out of the bathtub
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2010]
Australian Magpie in flight, seen from underneath
[Old Bar, NSW, July 2013]
Admittedly, the bird is difficult to see, but this is the bird's
intention - Australian Magpies roost in dense foliage of tall
trees such as this eucalypt; the bird was about 8 m high and
almost invisible; the light-blue dot is its eye reflecting some
of the flash's light - without having seen where this bird and
its partner settled in for the night we would not have been able to
find them
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2011]
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PAIR |
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Magpies in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, March 2023]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-lateral view of an immature male Australian Magpie
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2011]
Close-up frontal view of an immature female Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2021]
Frontal view of an immature, probably female, Australian Magpie
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2007]
Close-up near-frontal view of an immature female Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2021]
Near-lateral view of an immature, probably female, Australian Magpie
foraging in grass
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2007]
Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Magpie (note the pink gape)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Two youngster Australian Magpies following their dad,
begging for food
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2010]
Close-up near-lateral view of an juvenile Australian Magpie waiting
to be fed (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Central Coast, QLD, October 2013]
Female Australian Magpie feeding a dependent juvenile
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lamington NP,
QLD, February 2018]
Lateral view of a fledgling Australian Magpie
[Near Maules Creek, NSW, 2006]
Near-dorsal view of a fledgling Australian Magpie; this bird and one
of its siblings were out of the nest, while a third chick was still
inside
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2015]
Race "terraereginae"
This race is one of the races collectively called "Black-backed Magpie".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal portrait of a male Australian Magpie
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, January 2020]
Lateral view of a male Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Yulara, NT, March 2015]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Full-frontal view of an immature, probably female,
Australian Magpie
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, January 2018]
Close-up near-frontal portrait of an immature, probably female,
Australian Magpie
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, January 2018]
Portrait of an immature, probably female, Australian Magpie
[Near Hawker, SA, March 2008]
Near-lateral view of an immature, probably female, Australian Magpie
[Near Hawker, SA, March 2008]
Dorsal view of an immature, probably female, Australian Magpie
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, January 2018]
Race "eylandtensis"
This race is one of the races collectively called "Black-backed Magpie".
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of an immature Australian Magpie (photo courtesy of J.
Thurmer)
[Near Katherine, NT, July 2012]
Lateral view of an immature Australian Magpie (photo courtesy of J.
Thurmer)
[Near Katherine, NT, July 2012]
Race "tyrannica"
This race is one of the races collectively called "White-backed Magpie".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male Australian Magpie looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
Near-lateral view of a male Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of a male Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of a male Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
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FEMALE |
Close-up lateral view of a female Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of a female Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
Close-up dorsal view of a female Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
Dorsal view of a female Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Lakes National Park, VIC, March 2009]
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PAIR |
Close-up lateral view of a pair of Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, VIC, April 2023]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Australian Magpie
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Batemans Bay, NSW, April 2023]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Magpie
"tyrannica" (photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Lakes National Park, VIC, March 2009]
Juvenile Australian Magpie "tyrannica" in flight
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2017]
Race "dorsalis"
This race is one of the races collectively called "White-backed Magpie".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Lateral view of a male Australian Magpie, race "dorsalis"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a male Australian Magpie, race "dorsalis";
note the characteristic clean-white back
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a male Australian Magpie, race "dorsalis"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]
Dorsal view of a male Australian Magpie, race "dorsalis"
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Swanbourne, Perth, WA, April 2021]
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FEMALE |
Lateral view of a female Australian Magpie, race "dorsalis"
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Swanbourne, Perth, WA, April 2021]
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PAIR |
Dorsal view of a pair of Australian Magpies, race "dorsalis",
basking in the sun - male on the right, female on the left
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[East Perth, WA, December 2014]
Pair of Australian Magpies, race "dorsalis", basking in the sun -
male in front, female behind (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[East Perth, WA, December 2014]
Leucistic Australian Magpies
The photo below of a leucistic Australian Magpie, race "tibicen" was kindly provided by E. Ormerod.
Frontal view of a leucistic Australian Magpie "tibicen"; note
that the bird is also sick with pox virus(?)
(photo courtesy of E. Ormerod)
[New Lambden Heights, Newcastle, NSW, June 2014]
The photos below of a leucistic Australian Magpie "tyrannica" (in which part of the colour pigments are white instead of their usual colour) were kindly contributed by D. Pope.
Close-up lateral view of a leucistic Australian Magpie
"tyrannica"; with the speckled
neck it is difficult to tell whether the bird is male or female
(photo courtesy of D. Pope)
[Beechworth, VIC, August 2012]
Lateral view of a leucistic Australian Magpie
"tyrannica" (photo courtesy of D. Pope)
[Beechworth, VIC, August 2012]
The photos below of a leucistic Australian Magpie, race "dorsalis" were kindly provided by G. Harris.
Near-dorsal and dorsal views of a
leucistic
Australian Magpie "dorsalis"; only small patches on the bird's
wings are grey, the rest is white (photos courtesy of G. Harris)
[Esperance, WA, October 2012]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of two juvenile sibling Australian Magpies, race "tibicen"; the
bird on the right has normal colours, the one on the left is leucistic
(photo courtesy of E. Ormerod)
[New Lambden Heights, Newcastle, NSW, June 2014]
Race "telonocua"
This race is one of the races collectively called "White-backed Magpie".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Lateral view of a male Australian Magpie "telonocua"
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]
Race "hypoleuca"
This race is one of the races collectively called "White-backed Magpie".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male Australian Magpie "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Helens, TAS, September 2021]
Lateral view of a male Australian Magpie "hypoleuca" looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, April 2021]
Lateral view of a male Australian Magpie "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, April 2021]
Lateral view of a male Australian Magpie "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Helens, TAS, September 2021]
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FEMALE |
Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Magpie "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, April 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Magpie "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Helens, TAS, September 2021]
Dorsal view of a female Australian Magpie "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Peter Murrell Reserve, near Kingston, TAS, April 2021]
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PAIR |
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Magpies "hypoleuca"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Helens, TAS, September 2021]
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Breeding information |
| Breeding season: Aug - Oct | Eggs: 3 - 5 | Incubation period: 20 days | Fledging age: 28 days |
Although Australian Magpies can have clutches of up to 6 eggs, we have not seen a family yet that raised more than 2 chicks to adulthood.
Australian Magpies, especially females (who incubate the eggs and carry most of the responsibility for caring for the chicks), are very protective of their nests.
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Twitcher's tip |
Usually any Australian Magpie swooping close to its nest is a female. To deter it from coming up from behind you it may help to put sunglasses on the wrong way round - this way the bird will think that you are looking at it; and it won't attack from the front (they are too clever to do that!).
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
| Type: Basket | Material: Sticks, with grass and/or feather lining | Height above ground: 5 - 20 m |
The photos below give an indication of the strength of Australian Magpies. Only birds that are not of afraid of predation or possible disturbance of the nest can permit themselves to nest in a flowering tree. Smaller, less powerful species will not do this.
Australian Magpie nesting in a flowering
eucalypt tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2018]
Nesting in a flowering
eucalypt tree
comes with an advantage: The next snack is just one hop away, in
this case a bee
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2018]
Australian Magpie sitting on its nest
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Swan Reach, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]
Australian Magpie tending to its chicks
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, September 2012]
Australian Magpie on the edge of its nest
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2007]
The same Australian Mapgie as above, diving towards the destination
of its next foraging expedition
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2007]
Fledgling Australian Mapgie that has fled its nest, four weeks later
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2007]
Closer view of an Australian Magpie's nest
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Additional information |
Some bird species, such as e.g. Little Friarbirds, Striped Honeyeaters, Willie Wagtails and 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.
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
| Size: 38 x 25 mm | Colour: Olive-green, with irregular brown pattern | Shape: Tapered oval |
Fragments of an Australian Magpie egg found not far from a
nest; this eggshell, which looks as if opened by the hatchling,
was found around the time of the arrival of the large, migratory
cuckoos,
who won't get a chance to cheat this pair of "Maggies"...
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Pair/family clan |
Every attempt by us to describe the behavioural patterns of Australian Magpies would be preposterous, considering that there is the very enlightening book "Australian Magpie" by Gisela Kaplan (CSIRO Publishing). But a bit more local "gossip" can be added.
At our former home, 20 km South of Narrabri, Australian Magpies were winter guests, because during summertime they are hustled into the bush by the local Willie Wagtails.
A family of "Maggies" were residents at Eulah Creek, 20 km east of Narrabri in 2007 and subsequent years since then (sharing their territory with Willie Wagtails).
It may be noteworthy that, apart from some parrots and cockatoos, Australian Magpies are one of the few bird species known to us that show playful behaviour (juvenile birds; see photo below).
At Eulah Creek, 20 km east of Narrabri, where there are plenty of suitable trees around for nesting, the local pair of Australian Magpies will not allow any Australian Ravens around their nest. However, on a broadacre farm near Bellata, NSW, where there is only one suitable tree within kilometers, Australian Magpies nest in the same tree as Australian Ravens.
Two immature Australian Magpies playing with each other, much in
the same way as two dog pups would, while the parents are keeping
an eye on the surroundings
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2006]
Family of Australian Magpies cooling in the shade of a tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2020]
This male Australian Magpie is taking a shower
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2013]
Female Australian Magpie basking in the sun
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2020]
Here a female Australian Magpie is drying its
plumage
in the sun
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
The exact-same place, 2 years later, the same female Australian Magpie(?)
drying its plumage
in the sun
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2013]
The same female Australian Magpie as in the previous photo, now drying
the other side
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2013]
Australian Magpies are fiercely territorial birds that we have seen chasing and hustling various other bird species. In 2007, the local Australian Magpies in the Narrabri area started swooping on people coming too close to their nesting trees around August - a good indication that their breeding season had begun.
Female Australian Magpie
warbling
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2013]
We have seen an Australian Raven hustle an Australian Magpie, stealing its prey in flight. When the Australian Magpie let go of the small lizard it had caught, the Australian Raven scooped it up in mid-air and then flew to a nearby tree to pluck it apart while sitting on a horizontal branch. However, during the Australian Magpies' nesting season, the chase is on the other way round.
Australian Magpies sometimes have a go at Crested Pigeons (with what we took to be intent to kill; we have also once seen an Australian Magpie plucking a Crested Pigeon). They are also seen by us regularly hustling whole family clans of White-winged Choughs.
Australian Magpies are fiercely protective of their territory and, in particular, of their young.
Pair of Australian Magpies challenging a male
Brown Falcon
while their two juveniles scrambled into the crown of a
nearby tree for cover; these are the birds whose
alarm calls
were recorded on 20 November 2019
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2019]
Australian Magpie swooping on
3 fledgling Eastern Barn Owls
sitting outside their nest around sunset
[Near Narrabri, NSW, July 2021]
Australian Magpie challenging a Lace Monitor
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2020]
This Australian Magpie is not afraid to defend its territory against a fox
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Stand-off between an Australian Magpie and a
Laughing Kookaburra
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2019]
Fledgling Australian Magpie face-down flat on the ground, with
both wings at full stretch - the significance of this behaviour is
not known to us
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]
The same behaviour of two immature Australian Magpies was observed
by A. Ross-Taylor
[Pacific Pines, Gold Coast, QLD]
It is known that birds can cool off with their wings spread above moist
soil, but this Australian Magpie demonstrates that it also knows how to
use the heat of roof tiles to warm up on a winter's day (photo courtesy
of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Ashmore, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2015]
This male Australian Magpie is posturing (possibly to establish his
supremacy), with his partner on her back, on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2014]
We have observed flocks of non-breeding Australian Magpies up to about 60 birds strong.
In a close encounter, a juvenile Australian Magpie and a juvenile
Torresian Crow
could not decide who was the strongest of the two...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2022]
... so it was decided that both will share access to water
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2022]
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Additional information |
There is a separate page describing how a female is fed by a male bird at the start of the nesting season.
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Additional information |
There is a separate page describing how an Australian Magpie attacks a Wedge-tailed Eagle near its nest site during its breeding season.
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Food, Diet |
Australian Magpies feed mostly on insects up to the size of locusts. However, we have also seen them take fruit (e.g. mulberries) and pluck birds as large as a Crested Pigeon.
Male Australian Magpie with its prey, which looks like
a hairy caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Reserve, QLD, April 2018]
Male Australian Magpie with its prey, which looks like
a Witchety Grub
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, March 2023]
Australian Magpie working on its precious meal
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, March 2023]
At this point, the grub does not look particularly appetising to
humans, but an Australian Magpie will tell you that THAT is how
it's supposed to be
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, March 2023]
Male Australian Magpie with its prey, a spider
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2008]
Female Australian Magpie with its catch (which looks like a spider)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]
This female Australian Magpie has caught something bigger
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2011]
A few mulberries are treats for fledgling Australian Magpies
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2010]
This female Australian Magpie clearly knows how to pry the soft dough
out of the hard crust (photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Ashmore, Gold Coast, QLD, March 2015]
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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.
| magpie_20170802_2.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Contact call ("warble") | © MD | |
| magpie_20180516.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Contact call ("warble") | © MD | |
| magpie_20211023.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Contact call ("warble"; crack of dawn) | © MD | |
| magpie_20180427.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Contact call ("warble"; tentative) | © MD | |
| magpie_20200731.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Break of dawn territorial calls | © MD | |
| magpie_20191120.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (Brown Falcon) | © MD | |
| magpie_20170802_4.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Warning/departure | © MD | |
| magpie_20170802_3.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Suspicious/warning | © MD | |
| magpie_20220405.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Suspicious (human) + warble | © MD | |
| magpie_20200715.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Suspicious/warning | © MD | |
| magpie_20140928_2.mp3 |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Singing in the bathtub | © MD | |
| magpie_20200715_2.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Various (pair) | © MD | |
| magpie_20180928.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Immature practising warble | © MD | |
| magpie_20171027.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (2 juveniles) | © MD | |
| magpie_20210112.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Arrival & begging calls (juvenile) | © MD | |
| magpie_20191021.m4a |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (Juvenile on tin roof) | © MD |
We have noticed that Australian Magpies often having singing competitions with Magpie-larks.
| peewee_20140404.mp3 |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Magpie-lark first | © MD | |
| peewee_20140404_2.mp3 |
tibicen (NW NSW) |
Australian Magpie first | © MD |
More Australian Magpie sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.