AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE Defense of Home

By JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com) (Own work)

Although, They share a common name, Australian Magpie is NOT a relative of Magpie of the Crow Family. Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a relative of Currawong. Found only in Australia, Magpie is among one of the most common of local Birds there. Australian Magpie tends to live in one place in a large group.

Australian Magpie has a complex social structure. He lives either in a tribe of about two to ten Birds or in a flock of many Birds. The difference between the two is that a tribe has a breeding territory. Members of his tribe defend their territory from all other Magpies. Australian Magpies who are members of flocks are usually Birds who were unable to join a tribe. These Birds do not breed until They join a tribe. When an Australian Magpie is about two years old, He is forced out of the territory of his birth tribe and must look for another tribe to join. The only way that an Australian Magpie can join a tribe is when another Bird leaves.

Australian Magpies forage by walking over open land, probing the soft parts of the ground, turning over stones, and other hiding places for Insects. Not particular in what He eats, Australian Magpie is quite versatile in eating whatever He finds. He and his tribe will exploit every part of their breeding territory for food.

What makes Australian Magpie dangerous is when He believes that a person is a threat to his nest. Father Magpie will attack by swooping down on intruders and pecking their heads. Australian Magpie is so aggressive in defending his nest that the local governments in Australia issue Magpie warnings and advise people to wear a helmet and carry an open umbrella. Since Magpie is protected in parts of Australia, the best defense is to avoid Him completely.

Australian Magpie teaches how to defend your home through offensive action. You watch and then attack before the home invader can come for you. But do not go so overboard in your defense that you become a menace to the neighborhood.
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Australian Magpie’s closest relative is the Currawong of Australia. Although Australian Magpie resembles Magpie of Crow Family, They are not related.

Magpie: Communication

The magpie’s large size, distinctive coloring, and long tail make her unmistakable. A clever bird, she can survive in a variety of habitats. As a member of the crow family, this striking bird shares their sharp intelligence.

The name “magpie” comes from the Old English: mag, which means “chatterbox”, and pie, which means “both black and white.” Extremely gregarious, the magpie travels and nests in colonies. Her raucous “chaw-chaw-chaw-chaw” inundates the woods when she fights with other magpies over food and nesting sites.

An omnivorous eater, the magpie will consume anything she finds on the ground. Many people dislike the magpie because she steals grain, seeds, and berries. In addition, she scavenges dead animals and steals other birds’ eggs. Like her brother crow, the magpie digs holes to hide her food.

The magpie demonstrates the mixed blessing of being a noted communicator. Talk is welcomed in most places, while gossip is not. Be careful what you say to others. Be quiet, and listen once in a while.
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Crow Family: Saving Resources

The crow family (Corvidae) includes a large group of birds besides crows and their brother ravens. Also belonging to the crow family are the choughs, jays, magpies, and nutcrackers. What do all these birds have in common? They are curious, intelligent, noisy, outrageous, and social.

Throughout the ages, people have either loved or hated Corvids, but they have never ignored them. People gave distinctive names for groups of these birds: a murder of crows, an unkindness of ravens, a tiding of magpies, a chattering of choughs, and a scold of jays. Having a property with a Parliament of rooks living there is considered to be good fortune. Raven lore ranges from North American beliefs of Raven as the Trickster to the Norse raven companions of Odin. Furthermore, many people believe as long as ravens (or rooks) live at the Tower of London, the Crown of England shall be safe. Beliefs involving other members are: magpies steal, crows foretell death, and jays bring bad luck.

What are these birds that grab people’s attention? The most familiar group is crows and ravens, who are also the most widespread of the Corvids. These sooty black birds are noted for their quick-wittedness. Crows and ravens use their intelligence to good use in finding food.

In their glossy all-black plumage, the choughs resemble crows. You find them living on cliffs or in mountains of Eurasia. Unlike the black-beaked crow, the chough has either a yellow or scarlet bill.

Meanwhile, jays are considered to be the most primitive of the Corvids. As the oldest of Corvids, They originated in Eurasia and spread throughout the New World. Jays are noted for their colorfulness, with many having blue or green plumage.

Magpies and treepies are highly social birds. These black and white birds are well known for their chatter. One part of the magpie’s name comes from mag, which is Old English for “chatterer”. Regarded as thieves, magpies like bright shiny things, which they take and hide.

Nutcrackers, which live in pine forests, are remarkable for the extent of their dependence on cached stores of seeds. Permanent residents of forests, they do not migrate but live through hard winters on their saved food. Called nutcrackers, they eat mainly hazel nuts and pine seeds.

Members of the crow family save for the future. They store food to help them through hard times. Before beginning to eat, Corvids will take the trouble to hide a large quantity of food. They carry the food in their throats until they find a hole to hide the food in. Corvids memorize where they hid their food and return to their stores when they need to.

We can learn from the crow family how to refrain from consuming everything in sight. Learn the discipline to save some for the future when lean times arrive. If we have discipline and fortitude like the crow family, our hidden stores will be there for us during hard times.
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