WINSTON WEEKLY^[1]

April 26, 2026

Vol. 4, No. 17

MISCHIEVOUS MAGPIES[2]

Even more jarring than waking to the nagging squawk of a baby magpie is a male magpie careening at full speed, intent on wounding your head. With a wedge-shaped bill and sharp claws, they are frightening during nesting season, earning them the nickname, “Magpie Menace.” My attempt at a bike escape during breeding season failed miserably. After nearly losing my forehead and crashing on the side of the road, self-preservation required a hat, sunglasses, and a brisk but quiet walk when outdoors between August and October. I learned far too late that researchers in Brisbane discovered that magpies have a preference for attacking bicyclists.

Female magpies typically lay three to five colored eggs in nests of twigs and sticks. With an incubation period of approximately three weeks, it was not long before areas near my one-year residence in Canberra were filled with baby magpies. The nagging squawks were soon replaced by warbling or a flute-like sound, although magpies emit alarming screeches when they feel threatened. They also love to mimic sounds, leading to hilarious moments watching the neighbor’s dog trying to understand why his feathered foe was imitating his bark.

Magpies love to see themselves, frequently positioning themselves by windows to admire their reflections. Magpies are believed to be the only non-mammal “to clear the bar on reflective self-awareness.”

With a life span of nearly 30 years, the black and white Australian magpie is native to Australia and New Guinea. Although their diet typically consists of insects, earthworms, spiders, and snails, they are never ones to miss crumbs from a picnic lunch.

WEEKLY ACTIVITY

Take a closer look at the habitats of the Australian magpies in Australia and New Guinea. Filled with extensive information on magpie habitats and much more, award-winning author Gisela Kaplan released the Second Edition of her book, Australian Magpie: Biology and Behavior of an Unusual Songbird, in 2019. For those who prefer fiction, David Manley’s book, A Magpie’s Tale, was recently released by Festoon Publishing.

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[1] A weekly blog/newsletter by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2]Resources: Melissa Murray, Australian Magpie, Dec, 7, 2024, Australian Museum, www.australian.museum; Kevin Burrell, The Magpie in the Mirror, Ornitheology, www.ornitheology.com; Justine E. Hausheer, Australian Magpies Are The Real Angry Birds, Nature Conservancy, Nov. 12, 2018; Gisela Kaplan, Australian Magpie: Biology and Behavior of an Unusual Songbird, Second Edition, CSIRO Publishing, 2019.