Australian Magpies - Everything you never knew

Australian magpies are intelligent, curious and charismatic creatures. Magpies are often vilified but they're not all about swooping. Let me tell you little bit about these astute avians and explain why they've earned their reputation as Australia's favourite bird.
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[@markswayn2628]

One magpie behavioural quirk is that if the parents learn to trust you and you regularly work outside in the garden, you'll end up "babysitting" their maturing chicks. It's happened to me several times and the chick will hang around your feet being quite happy to pick at any diggings containing worms or grubs. After a couple of hours, the parent returns to collect their chick.

[@toscalibralato5497]

Yep I do every season love them❤❤

[@glennbritten3044]

They do it with me to, theses birds are so smart, have personality, if anything is going to take over the world after us it's the Magpie

[@rebeccablock8711]

Oh that is so sweet xxxx

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

That's adorable, you must feel honoured!

[@julesmasseffectmusic]

I had a pair do that when I was a kid, when I gave up the garden I still dug up ground for them when they brought the kids around for the next couple of years.

[@criticalmass181]

We rescued a magpie a few years ago. Spent a fortune at the Vet.....nurtured the poor girl, with a broken wing, back to health. Fully recovered. We now have about 17,000,000 Magpies visit us each day, along with the same number of Currawongs. Beautiful times.(numbers may not be accurate, but it seems like that....)

[@katherinegray5086]

😂👍🇦🇺

[@ZestySea]

😂😂😂

[@rosaliegolding5549]

My local park has a family of 9 , and they all know me as I’ve known them for many many years and are surrounded by them when they get together , I do give only 4 them tit bits once a day and fresh bowl of water daily which they use throughout the day when they visit me I use a Magpie mix and very small amounts and they come to me when I call their names which are Bertie , Percy ,Poppy , and Flossie they even sit on my lap and able to stroke their breasts but that has taken time over many years to obtain their trust now they don’t flinch , they hang around to clean themselves and just sit on the wall for ages enjoying the sun they give me company whilst having a beverage ,but they are definitely Wild birds 🦅 and will stay that way 🤗👏

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

I had a tall grafted pear tree, thousands of parrot's

[@monicadurham777]

😂

[@omaopa6923]

I don’t think you’d find many Aussies that dislike magpies,I absolutely love them and have a wonderful family of them in my area 🇦🇺

[@Assenayo]

I wish it was open season on magpies, roos and salt water crocs all year round. We used to shoot magpies in the 90s with slug guns. Good times

[@lamsmiley1944]

Some of them are just jerks and attack people for no reason.

[@pavementpounder7502]

Only the football team.

[@vampyresgraveyard3307]

Collingwood is a different story

[@glenystranter6423]

I have a family of Magpies near where I live as well. I don't feed them but I do say hello to them every time I see them. They also get along really well with the Butcherbirds that live in my area as well.

[@PilotMcbride]

Bribery is the only way to gain their trust😂 Been living with wild maggies all my life, and my wife of 43 years loves them also. We have had amazing experiences with them and have never been swooped. We love giving them their breakfast each morning and during drought times always leave daily food and water out for them. We’ve lived in the same house for 34 years and was known as “Swoop Central”, hasn’t been know by that name for 32 years, we just educated the walkers and befriended the maggies, no more trouble. We love their trust and enjoy their calls, they even knock on our door for breakfast some mornings if we’re a bit late (drives our indoor dogs nuts but leave the cats alone and the cats do leave them alone, amazing birds. Thanks for posting.

[@hedonismunderstands2469]

don't need bribery, just be nice to them. i'm always nice to maggies and never get swooped.

[@PilotMcbride]

@@hedonismunderstands2469 a bit of bribery always helps. Maybe not needed, but always sweetens the pie 😆😆 Thanks for the comment, Have a great day

[@jakerubino3233]

Yeah my mob have been teaching the next generation that the front double glass doors can be pecked for a good sound and also a big bald guy will come out squinting half asleep with some food. One cheeky sub adult chose to not find a new territory but just roost on the rafters under the bullnose veranda a metre from my window and vocalise at all hours to get my attention 🤦🏼‍♂️ clowns 🤡

[@PilotMcbride]

@@jakerubino3233 😂😂😂 A friend of ours had a friendly little bloke, and they a lot of cats and they couldn’t care less. Their next door neighbour was a shift worker and almost always got up at 2pm and had a smoker’s cough. So after a little while the maggie would sit on the fence at 2pm and cough like a trooper 🤣🤣🤣. Used to drive the ol’ fella nuts if he wanted a bit more kip. All good memories.

[@penguinvic9892]

@@PilotMcbrideAn old guy at my supermarket carpark said to me that a pair of magpies there only like me because I feed them. I said to him: “Isn’t that the same for everyone, including humans?” He had no answer. Oh, and I never, ever get swooped in my area. I think they talk to each other and I guess I must have passed !!

[@Satya2btrue]

I love magpies. We had a lovely black cat. Sadly she died last year. We used to feed her outside but she didn’t like the green kibble in her bowl. The magpies used to come over and ONLY take the green kibble leaving her with the brown. The cat would step back a metre whilst they took the green ones. A month before the cat died I saw her chatting with the magpies on a mulch mound. They sang and she responded. Incredible!

[@xaero76]

Sorry for you loss... thats a great story, Thanks for sharing that! we love our Cats and the Magpies in our area... we have always shown them respect, lost count of how many baby Magpies over the 30-40 years... they own the entire 10 acres we are on, not often but they do defend them selves from other Magpies trying to invade... And I share the left over cat food with them since food for the Magpies in our area can be hard to find in the harsh conditions... but when there is lots of food for them they take care of them selves again

[@Jesterjones9073]

Amazing! ❤

[@sherrylstratford5115]

Wow!!

[@s-c..]

Wow, that’s gorgeous. Sorry you lost your beautiful cat tho.

[@sandraoxford883]

That is so sweet ❤ melted my heart xx

[@chrisnore5169]

My observations are different here in Perth. I have had male maggies bring their babies to our house for introductions and snacks. I would say that the best dad I have ever seen was magpie we called Woody, who loved and constantly cared for his two daughters. Male maggies may not take an interest in nest building, but every year I see males collect shedded horse hair for interior nest comfort. The nicest gift I have ever received was a gum leaf from a young female who had asked me to turn the sprinkler on when the weather was hot. Magpies reach maturity around two but do not breed until around three/four years on age. With regard to swooping, what you can have is a young male with rampaging hormones but no job, no girlfriend and no responsibility. They tend to hang around and chase cyclists and dogs and annoy anyone that crosses their line of vision and it's not the breeding season. They do grow out if this behaviour.

[@garynewton1263]

There seems to be variation of sorts with 'Western Magpies'. Colouring and behaviour.

[@TeamJY]

So if you're ever swooped, just yell "GET A JOB!" As it attacks you.

[@garynewton1263]

@@TeamJY Really? Well, you know what, try this...........Talk to the Male maggie and let him know you're a friend. Even better get a pack of live Crickets from a pet store, go to where the Male swooping maggie is, call out to him and let him see what you've got. Guaranteed you'll make a new lifelong friend, never swoop you ever again.

[@TeamJY]

@@garynewton1263 i can speak maggie, got the high pitch throat warble down - although I recently found out Im doing territory calls. They've never gone for me, and when I cross a park and call to them they waddle up expecting handouts.

[@garynewton1263]

@@TeamJY Yes. It seems to depend on the situation. I got into the car park at work and parked, our female maggie appeared not far from me. I wound down the window and did the warble bit she swiftly flew away. Other times down the coast I've been parked near a family of magpies and I've found a youtube video of a maggie warbling, turned it up loud and played it to them and they all come running to my car wondering whats going on. So there's definitely some kind of signalling language going on

[@shirosenshiesq]

My favourite behaviour which I've only ever seen a couple of times was seeing a couple of juveniles play wrestling on the grass. I watched them have what seemed like a mock fight, and even the 'winning' maggie letting the 'losing one' get up out of fairness. Super cute!

[@fudgesticklebear]

unfortunately only encountering the 11% of agro magpies since childhood, I had a pretty strong fear of magpies up until very recently. This year before breeding season I made an effort to walk everyday in my neighborhood to ensure my face (with and without sunglasses) was seen by every single magpie in the area. Now I'm the only one who can walk through "swooping bird in this area" signs without being swooped. I had one run up to me and block the path to make sure I wasn't a threat but they let me through unscathed. They are so smart it's scary, I only wish they would protect me from the annoying noisy miners that attack everything in sight lmao!

[@paulgearing3018]

I believe its only the males that swoop ,and only in the nesting season

[@KeepItSimpleSailor]

If I hear magpies in the waking morning, I always smile 😊 Quintessentially Australian 👍🏻

[@WendyJoseph-ww8ws]

Mornings in rural Central QLD. Me on the verandah with a cuppa and the Maggies chortling, while the various parrots call to each other like bells. Bliss...

[@MrTripleXXX]

It's in Australian tv shows and movies too. They always throw in a magpie noise (or sometimes crows) to make the show seem instantly Australian, haha.

[@user-iu3wp6gj2l]

It has become quintessentially New Zealand too. Hearing them warbling in the morning is just lovely.

[@Steven-ti2qt]

Ok Capslock I heard one Playing soft piano @ 6:30 am Aest I fed it was a baby kept Coming I gave it refined bread Wheat flours it came again again again seated Mr Goldz It's satisfied but it did the warning sign call it trusted Me and my perch but it Started going into cautious Mode why would that be ??? Any tips or help ! 😮

[@Goonerson1969]

I love it too because it reminds me that lm in beautiful Perth. Its totally different from any bird sounds here in England

[@Zar2244]

Enjoyed this immensely 😊 I once had a baby magpie land in the backyard before dusk, wasn't able to fly properly. I put it in my shed overnight in a pet carrier to protect it from cats. In the morning I put the bird out the front. Within a couple of minutes, the mum (or dad) magpie came to the front lawn, and then proceeded to walk across the road to a nearby park area, with the baby magpie following behind. A very happy result. 😊

[@Acubens.]

Once I got swooped by a peewee (I think?) And I turned just as it swooped me and it cut/scratched my eyebrow! I actually bled! But I think my ego was damaged more. Happened outside the channel 7 building in the docklands. People everywhere 😬

[@karencramer6491]

Many people mistake baby magpies on the ground as injured or rejected when in actual fact the parents are teaching them to ground forage, which is their natural behaviour and will be nearby watching. If you watch and wait, the parents will soon come for it.

[@at-aviciigaming9750]

⁠@@Acubens. I was with my mate in the exact spot in 2020 when a peewee swooped us but then proceeded to find another target, must’ve been you then ahahaha

[@pquodling]

We live in an area that has lots of areas for them to feed, but one of the neighbours was feeding some of them. I had them wandering into the garage when I was in my workshop looking for a feed - so I now keep a jar of dried meal worms for them. I have opened the garage to find one swooping in and sitting on that Jar, as if to say "Where is my Dinner!".

[@Pippito]

Ive noticed that some of the magpies that hang around my partners will mimic sounds surrounding the area, like the sounds of children playing from the primary school, and dogs barking. They're incredibly smart birds and are def one of my favs

[@JoBrew]

I love magpies, I’ve had a couple visit my house regularly for 15 years, they’ll come inside the house if the door is open and follow me around to the kitchen. They also know which room I’m in and will tap on the window with their beaks to let me know they’re here. I find them fascinating and they have beautiful songs.

[@AW-pz3qc]

Mine came into the house too. One day I was sewing and had this feeling someone was watching me, looked out the window nobody out there, back to sewing and still felt someone watching...wheeled my chair back to go and investigate further and almost ran over his feet..he had walked right through the house. So I had to reward him (of course) only to find Mrs Maggie and 3 offspring in the kitchen looking longingly at the fridge. I used to buy chicken mince from the pet food shop because it had bones mixed with the meat and rolled it into meatball size to freeze. Then only had to thaw enough for a day or two as required. The rest of the year they didn't look for food as often, although wouldn't say no to a special treat or two.

[@paulclissold1525]

@@AW-pz3qc the mince has too much fat. Im on the go so l keep a bag of safeway unsalted peanuts in the car.

[@susanjacquier5358]

Same 😊...we had a family living in our backyard. ..the male would come into the house to find me if I was late with food or simply because he was curious

[@douglasermedia3390]

Magpies can mimic human speech better than parrots. When I was a kid my brother brought home a baby magpie that had been blown from its nest in a storm and it was raised like a pet. As it grew up it started copying what it heard, and would call out the neighbour's kid's name because his Mum would call it out. It would often call random words it had heard. It used to follow us around on the ground but after a couple of years it's like it suddenly realised it could fly and took off never to be seen again. I took a lot of camcorder videos trying to capture it talking but it never did it while I was filming.

[@joereedsmith1531]

We knew an old lady who taught one to talk and it would use the human toilet to do its business.

[@philipstevenson5166]

not genetically related? apart from 99% identity

[@kharnifex]

This does not apply to Australia

[@flowerpower8722]

@@kharnifex One of my regular freeloaders said 'hello' in a perfectly clear posh English accent to me on a couple of occasions. He was quietly amused by my excited response.

[@zmac8689]

Nothing nicer than hearing the magpies warble outside your window in the morning.

[@carolking6355]

Wonderful 5⭐️ we live in the country. Many years ago we had a family of 5 Magpies in a nest in a tree by our house. It was a very dry summer and I would sit outside and watch the mum bring baby down to play each afternoon . It got closer to me daily while the family flew across to visit another Maggie family for an hour after arranging the visit with calls. Finally baby was brought up to my chair and mum left me to babysit while she went off with the others. They must have so trusted me as baby was a ball of grey fluff and loved rolling. I always gardened a lot and they never saw it as me in their territory. They never swooped down at any of my family. I adored them. I got angry when I read people were shooting magpies in the botanical gardens as they were swooping at children. Later read these children had been throwing stones at their nests.

[@cyberqueen777]

I know I'm in Australia when I hear that magpie gurgle.... I love the Maggies- my favourite bird.

[@ACDZ123]

It's a warble..gurgle lol

[@who_needs_a_handle]

We hear it a lot in New Zealand too. Just as delightful even if from a dang forenger.

[@ACDZ123]

@@who_needs_a_handle do you have magpies there? I didn't know that 😳

[@JIMMYtheB0B]

Mate, I'm gutted there's not 1000 of these videos, 10/10 stuff absolutely loved it

[@michelegraham9044]

Me too. I love magpies and thought I knew a fair bit about them but I learned a couple of things here. So glad KZbin put this & the channel in front of me.

[@Gungho1a]

My old man used to feed the maggies...his favourite was a youngster that the local pair brought to the house as soon as it could fly. It was 27yrs old when my father died, and had paired off and every year brought it's own clutch of youngsters to the house for a feed and to hang around. The maggie and his partner would come through the cat door and wait inside on the kitchen bench till the folks prepped their snack. This in a house with two dogs and a cat.

[@PhoenixIsTrash]

Lived in a heavily forested and magpie dominated area my entire life, yet have never been swooped. I always thought it was because I whistled their birdsong to the magpies, which always seemed to respond with curiosity. I never realised I was laying claim to my territory, and none of the magpies wished to fight me, the alpha magpie.

[@penguinvic9892]

Talking and whistling to magpies really helps. If you’re eating something, say a pie 🥧, and you share a little bit with them, that helps too. Magpies are real easy for small random acts of generosity. If you ever successfully aid a sick or injured magpie, you’ve got a friend for life.

[@DursunX]

magpies are wonderful and super smart. my late father used to hand feed a random magpie regularly. i lived next door and watched on occasions when dad suddenly passed from cancer, one maggie adopted me and would come to my door to eat from my hand. it was like a visit from dad's old friend. that was 2018, he/she no longer visits but i appreciate the mutual trust we shared. i love magpies. they can recognise a good soul 🖤🤍

[@rolandblack2939]

Our maggie family has been visiting our back deck for more than 5 years now. Lost Dad and Mum last year and are down to 2 girls who we helped nurture from birth. Lovely birds, who sing their heads off to our absolute delight. They happily coexist with the Lorikeets who we also love.

[@isitlauren]

I remember the first time seeing a local magpie sunbathing on our lawn, just laying on its stomach with its wings to the side unmoving. I was convinced it was dead. When I went outside to approach it, it lifted its head up slightly as if to say "I'm fine :)" and went back to sunbathing. I felt so silly walking away 😂.

[@kathyw3466]

I went back to your channel hoping to catch another animal/bird tale but alas this is it. You narrated very well. Cheers from Northern NSW .

[@banjar10997]

One correction: if the pair i know well is typical, young birds are taken care of (fed, guarded, educated) at LEAST as much by the DADS as by the mums. Thanks for the interesting and informative vid!

[@Helliconia54]

Yes. We have had a pair bring their offspring over for snacks over last 4 years. We have a large park over the road from us. ONE pair control the whole park.

[@banjar10997]

@Helliconia54 yes, mine also own a whole park. I invited them to visit my 8th floor balcony and they accepted, brought the kids over later. Very good at sending off pigeons and even the large kind of seagulls. They are polite and charming visitors who sing to me on occasion. Love 'em.

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

Yeah oops, I realise now in most bird species both parents raise the chicks.

[@petemedium2185]

I love this. Absolutely love it. Hope you plan to do more Aussie birds, such as the variety of butcher birds, Chuffs, apostle birds and similar. These birds are so very important to our bird history. Well done, and thank you for it.

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

Thanks man, I'm definitely thinking about a video on all the raven/crow species. White winged choughs are on my bird watching list so might make a little video about them too.

[@petemedium2185]

@@11235but The bird man's spelling is correct, but my auto check will only let me put Chuffs. Something of interest that only those of us with goats may know is that Chuffs love goat droppings.

[@johndavis7944]

​@@petemedium2185Write Cough, then add the H. Then you'll be Choughed....err Chuffed

[@petemedium2185]

@@johndavis7944 Thanks John, but I think I'll just write Chuff. LOL

[@bec5250]

About a month ago, down at the park, I found one of my magpie friends hanging upside down by a rope trapped around her leg. I got the fire brigade to come down and rescue her (thanks guys), but unfortunately the rope was not cut from her leg. The next morning, I found her about 15 meters up, and had to get the council to come down with a cherry picker to rescue her. Her leg was beyond saving, so rather than give her to the local wildlife shelter that were just going to euthanize her, I took her to the vet, who amputated the damaged leg, and after six days on painkillers and antibiotics in my front room, and evening visits to the park in her cage to let her family and mate know she was alive and ok, I re-released her back to them in the park. She balances well on one leg. She falls over a little from time to time, but seems to be doing pretty well. She can't stride to forage, but is hopping, and seems to be foraging ok. I've been taking her a bit of food - egg yolks and a pureed mix of egg yolk, beef, chicken, pine-nuts, oats, turmeric, ginger, meal worms, insectivore bird feed, and green lip mussel oil, just to make sure she has the sustenance she needs while she adjusts and strengthens up her one limb sufficiently. The chicks are soon to drop, but the park currently has a problem with dog owners treating the birds and wildlife as live bait for their dogs, quite deliberately. I've never been more disgusted by human beings in my life than by some of these dog owners. And it's not the dogs, I have three, it's on the owners completely - I just hope the next generation of magpies makes it. All nine of the plover chicks were killed by dogs, twice I had to stop the same guy and his Samoyed tormenting the last ones relentlessly, but it looks like he got them in the end. These owners and their dogs deliberately go after all the parrots in the park as well. Doesn't matter to these people that they are sentient creatures and all protected species. The magpie I saved I've known since she was a chick that fell from the nest, and I'd love to see her own chicks grow up healthy and well.

[@margareth1504]

Love hearing about the good times shared with our friendly magpies. Such a lovely bird. And so sad to hear about the dogs taking the birds from the park 😢. You wish the council could do something about that.

[@stephentaege6255]

Been feeding these unique birds for over 40years they eat out of my hand at the moment there's Mum and Dad and two fully grown son's who visit 2times a day another male Magpie visits every 2months he talks plus he does the most amazing high pitched police 🚨 siren cheers Stephen from QLD Australia 🇦🇺🤠🐨🦘✌️

[@NathanWooley]

I'm sad the video is over, but i am glad to have watched it. I wish there was another 10 mins of this wonderful commentary on Magpies. I am glad to be your 49th Subscriber

[@anneliediederiks]

I just subscribed and there’s almost 29k of us now 💪🏻

[@anneliediederiks]

Sorry, 25k. Looks like I saw a bit into the future 🤭

[@johnmgovern7111]

Something you missed perhaps because you haven’t experienced it. Magpies are self aware and know them selves in their reflection in a mirror. We discovered when caring for a juvenile I rescued from a road. We called it Billie are we had no idea what the sex was. When we introduced Billie to the local flock the alpha male swooped Billie and flipped her on her back then stood over with that Gladius like beak poised to strike. At this his mate with two Billies of her own started dressing down the male. At this he stepped back reached down and pulled our Billie by the tail pulling the bird back a couple of inches on it’s back. Then in an instant he took off strait up like. Neo at the end of the first Matrix film. Later that night Billie was on the back of the couch behind my head. I said “What did the magpie do to you”? She instantly flew to the mantle piece where she had two soft toys a Kookaburra and a Sacred Kingfisher. She threw the Kookaburra on the floor on it’s back leaped down in it stepped back and pulled it two inches across the floor on it’s back. Acting out in a pantomime what had happened to her. We were astonished more at how she understood the meaning of Ape small Mouth Noises (language) one of seven thousand so perfectly she was able to instant reply in mine. I have many other experiences I could relate like this. Afterwards Billie warned the home flock of a Wedge tail eagle soaring high above the farm. Only a tiny black spot to my eye. The flock adopted Billie and began a complex program of dehumanising. Once this was complete Billie was fully integrated into the farm flock. Finally the mirror above the mantle place was her favourite spot where Billie regularly examined it’s body using the mirror and would carol to her reflection. Billie behaved towards the reflection like a human or higher primate. Stunning to watch a self aware being appreciate it’s self in a mirror fully aware it was looking at it’s reflection. Hell plenty of humans can’t Self Reflect. Thanks for your great video Maggies are a super-bird.

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

It's fascinating that a magpie would act out a scene like that. I know crows and ravens can recognise their reflections but magpies are almost as smart as they are.

[@MrTripleXXX]

Also magpies can recognize people, and even CARS apparently.

[@algoormay8430]

I believe in facial recognition with these awesome birds.Only been swooped in early years when I was intimidated by them.Always look at them,smile and keep moving.That’s why bike riders cop a lot of flak from them.

[@nickwalchli]

please keep making videos, the mix of education and entertainment is absolute perfection, everyone should know more about australia's native flora and fauna, you're a legend

[@OmgAuntySuzanne16]

Please be the new ‘David Attenborough’ nice voice

[@homebrewznz3482]

I've had a few as pets. They are very intelligent. They would all eventually go off to have families in the wild except for Buddy. only had one eye and would fly around in circles before crash landing. He couldn't live in the wild. He/she stayed with us for years and would crow along with our roosters. We also had one that would fly into the car as we were leaving to go for a ride, so we had to leave the car window open every time we left the house so it didnt crash into the side window

[@AW-pz3qc]

Too funny....but I could well believe it! Great friends in any backyard

[@penguinvic9892]

@@AW-pz3qcSome magpies do get familiar with cars or in my case, my car 🚙. I’ve accidentally locked a male magpie in my car and had to come from my home to free it. Still doesn’t stop it from flying in when I open up the hatchback rear door.

[@adams4134]

More Magpies! Forever! What an incredible bird, I always think of dinosaurs when I am lucky enough to see them in my garden. You can really develop generational relationships with these amazing birds. When we lived in Rye (VIC) we had a mated couple who brought their young to us each year. What a privilege it was to interact with them. Fascinating to me to learn was that Magpies make names for humans who are "beneficial" to them. I (hope I) have a magpie name.

[@WendyJoseph-ww8ws]

Wow!

[@paulsherriff6337]

The Australian magpie has also populated New Zealand (not sure whether naturally or introduced). I grew up in country NZ and when I was at primary school my dad brought home a baby magpie which had fallen out of its nest. We raised it as a pet and it was amazing. I was always the child running late and when my mum could see the school bus coming down the raid she would yell out “ Paul, the bus is coming”. This happened often enough for the magpie to learn it and it would chime in those same words from our walnut tree whenever my mum said it. We had turkeys in the farmyard and the magpie would mimic their gobbling. Before it could fly some kids from school came over to play. One kid with blond hair was mean to the magpie chick and tried to swat it away with a stick. From then on the magpie hated blond people and would swoop them mercilessly. We had dark coloured sun hats for blond kids to wear when they came to play so the magpie wouldn’t swoop them. Eventually it grew up (maybe at age 2 or 3 years old) and became interested in meeting lady magpies and left us for a life in the wild.

[@RM-ti8nf]

Same in Chch, dad would bring home from the golf club and our Maggie's would intimidate the kids who walked past our house 😂. They were a great part of the family, using the cat to stand on was a fav photo we had. They are darlings ❤

[@dartanion0075]

Awesome

[@robmarden850]

Loved this! Fabulous information. I moved into a place 7 years ago where the Maggie’s have been visiting for over 20 years. I told the old owners not to worry as they will still be welcome here, I feed them sometimes. They bring their babies to meet me Every year lol. Ohh the singing 🥰🥰

[@robmarden850]

Same here.. beautiful hey.. 💕

[@tenhatjack3685]

This was SO much fun, and definitely added considerably to my magpie knowledge. We had a pair nesting in a tree two houses away, who became regular visitors, the male joining me on the balcony, or backyard table, and singing. When their first chick was born they introduced it. We were looking forward to many years of this. Then they lost a territorial war, and the Indian minahs moved in. No more magpies.

[@ohdearearthlings1879]

I stopped treating the Indian Mynas to the shotgun, when some idiot built a school over the road. I found keeping the grass a little longer discourages the mynahs.

[@KenshinPhoenix]

I hate Indian Mynas, most annoying bird ever. They harass people and I'm sick of seeing them harassing our native birds to no end. They even chase the crows away because of how relentlessly annoying they are. I used to see Rosellas everywhere in Sydney, now it's a rare sight for me.

[@ohdearearthlings1879]

@@KenshinPhoenix I used to treat them to the shotgun. I have found that leaving the grass longer does not suit them. Plenty of natives here, including some native mynas that harass others. The magpie lark dealing death to a chrome rubbish bin is amusing.

[@KenshinPhoenix]

@@ohdearearthlings1879 Affirmative action!

[@66halfmoon]

Great video! more please! absolutely love magpies, love how smart they are and even how cheeky they can be, also they are really good at controlling crows. I live next to a busy cafe and found by feeding the magpies they in turn help with getting rid of the crows that make a mess by going thru the cafe rubbish bins and making a absolute mess in the area, keep the vids coming, cheers.

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

Crows are too smart for their own good haha

[@gryphc3860]

We don't have Crows in Aus...only Ravens 😉

[@paulclissold1525]

@@gryphc3860 go the mighty adelaide ravens

[@tenhatjack3685]

I once saw a crow (raven) standing on the corner of a busy intersection, when it was swooped by a magpie. The bodily expression of the crow (raven) was something like, ‘!!! What just happened?’

[@ohdearearthlings1879]

We have had a pair of crows in the yard for years. The Magpies never seem to bother them. The magpies come to us. The crows maintain a little distance.

[@petejay75]

I have been living in Finland for over 18 years now and very much miss hearing the lovely sounds of our magpie friends. We do have the Eurasian magpie here but it lacks the regal pride that our maggies are full of, and is instead a sneaky, apprehensive and fearful bird. Their call is also nowhere near as endearing because it is mostly a jarring and ear grating experience. Give me an Australian Magpie any day of the week, month or year. It is such a beautiful bird with songs to make you glad that you have a sense of hearing. Edit: you just gained a new subscriber!

[@Millertime1989]

This is a great video, we have around half a dozen magpies hang out in our paddocks and I love watching them do their thing and singing to each other They are beautiful birds

[@paulh2126]

Great video. I love magpies. I found your video very entertaining, and I learnt a lot.

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

Thanks Paul!

[@ohdearearthlings1879]

We have had a number of pairs in succession on our visit the veranda list. One pair had a nesting tree over the road. As part of a school development some men in yellow hazard jackets cut down their tree. After this the mother magpie would attack all people in bright yellow shirts. We found that if our visitors changed or covered up the yellow top, hostilities ceased. Our current pair stand respectfully behind the cat, waiting for the leftovers.

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

5:22

[@margies735]

I'm listening to magpies outside while watching this! We've hosted several generations of magpies here! A few became so tame I was able to hand feed. One male would give us an extensive repertoire of many songs and sounds including sirens and car alarms. Occasionally a maggie turns up while I'm sitting eating lunch it will tap on the window and stare me down til I get up and feed it. They often leave their young here for 'baabysitting' We also have many other bird visitors including ravens, currawongs (agree a wonderful bird) butcher birds ( actually rather charming) minors, pigeons, lorikeets, rosellas and king parrots! I'm really enjoying your content and your commentary is a riot!

[@MrNotaracist93]

As soon as you said "tastefully thick birds" I subbed. Great stuff. Also, maggies are friendly when you get to know them and the best way to stop them swooping is to look them dead in the eyes and tell them to piss off. They respond to being pointed at as well. 10/10 bird

[@toyama307]

Great video mate. I'm an Aussie living in Japan and I miss the magpies that I grew up watching. I have so many stories of them outsmarting our dog to steal his food. And watching them swoop the mostly international students (The aussies were used to them and didnt react much) at UNE was one of the highlights of uni. I hope you find the time to make more videos about aussie wildlife. Why not a video about currawongs?

[@MK8MasterJunjie]

So why are you living in Japan now?

[@discipleofdagon8195]

​@MK8MasterJunjie that's his business but my best guess would be if he's in the sciences. Australia doesn't pay its scientists very well often causing them to get poached by offers from other countries

[@toyama307]

work and family

[@toyama307]

Not sciences. You'd be shocked at how poorly people are paid in Japan. Minimum wage is half that in Oz@@discipleofdagon8195

[@helenbartoszek243]

How can you not love a magpie? The morning warbling is beautiful to hear!

[@davidgrowsdragonfruit5301]

At least one aussie a year who loses an eye to them swooping probanly dosen't love them quite so much, but point taken 😆

[@helenbartoszek243]

@@davidgrowsdragonfruit5301 Haha!

[@user-pj1te3wq3k]

A few summers ago there was an explosion of cicadas in the Blue mountains NSW. I witnessed my resident magpies walk up to every cicada that they could find either on the ground, side of the shed or low on the tree trunks and grab them with their beaks, shake them, leave them to perish and then repeat the process again and again. Fascinating to watch them do this for about an hour.

[@abbracia]

Thank you for taking us into their world. I enjoyed your presentation.

[@blogobre]

Mate, that was beautifully done. I love the hints of Australian humor in it [eg. Magpies are killed by weather conditions - show a gigantic bush fire]. Good on ya bloke, hope to see more.

[@kymmoulds]

What a great video. Very informative and entertaining at the same time. Thanks for the time and effort in making it and a BIG thumbs up.

[@theFordy97]

Good on you mate, I really enjoyed watching this. As a long time Collingwood pies fan and long time magpie swoop victim. As much as they’ve had a crack at me in my neck of the woods growing up, I do love them and are one of my favourite birds to watch. Their intelligence is admirable, and are top composers of a good tune, which I appreciate a lot too. So iconic for Australia they don’t get the wrap they deserve. That being said - GO PIES

[@Scorpionwins23]

Found this on Reddit a month or so ago, great to see it come up in my feed organically after searching for a few Maggie clips. Brilliant work mate, keep it up!

[@beanbeanster7219]

I love your video style and packed with awesome information. Keep going, you'll have loads of subscribers in a while with brilliant content like this. Very smart idea starting with Australia's most loved bird. Love the magpies. Cheers for your hard work.

[@mariliamonteiro3458]

Thank you. Loved the video. I love Magpies, my favourite bird in Australia. I have a couple who come to my veranda for a treat and bring their babies too. 🥰

[@a_lenno]

These videos are such a joy to watch! Ty and can’t wait to see more!

[@way2walk]

Your video is witty and sophisticated! Love your dry humor and especially your taste in music. And what a charming voice you have.

[@jbones360]

I met a magpie with a scar on Dangar Island at my Uncle's house. This Magpie was a charmer. Very friendly to me, who he just met, and would wait by the kitchen door in the mornings. It 'talked' a quiet tune, similar to the territorial chorus they do up in the trees, but literally at talking volume... I assumed the locals would regularly feed this Magpie, so I gave it some food. It would continue to talk after eating, and eventually prowl off. A few years ago, I lived on large bush land outside of Sydney, and we had several families of Magpies live on our land, their borderline must have cut straight through the middle. Mostly they were civil with each other but sometimes they would biff. Usually they team up against the other species, a bit speciesist... We just called the dominant male "Bloke". I hope they're okay since we moved away.

[@nkelly.9]

Thank you for your wonderful video. I have been feeding and observing one brood for over 14 years. In that time the pair have raised one newcomer every year. The time comes when , usually the mother, gives the newcomer/fledgling an absolute pizzling and the young 'un subsequently leaves. I must, next time, try to note the time of year when this occurs. These last few years have seen changes. There have been no pizzlings. The baby born in 2020, Bubbah, has stayed with the brood. Bubbah helped feed its newcomer sibling born in 2021. The baby born on 2021, Baby Bubbah, has stayed with the brood. Last year twins were born. I have observed the mother, the father and the two preceding siblings feeding last years twins. They all still remain together. The mother is the brains and the boss. Beautiful and intelligent creatures.

[@jamesmcgowen1769]

Yes, I’ve seen older siblings feeding baby brother or sis too. I’m glad they do it, just to try and shut the little one up!

[@vivecald-vehk6978]

I must say this was a fantastic video, and for it to be your first is such a good omen of things to come for your channel I've always loved magpies, but now you've helped me understand them, and for that I am truly grateful!

[@hana.k9711]

Thanks for this fab video! Growing up in Melbourne, I vividly remember swooping season. Looking forward to more videos in the future!

[@markaylott1780]

Yep, a very underrated bird. I reckon they're great and on my list of favourite birds including the Currawong and Crow. Then there's the birds of pray but they're another story. Loved your presentation 😎👍

[@swc1231]

Great video - many thanks. I alway look forward as the seasons pass to the Magpie pair that visit our place bringing their new offspring. I share the sentiment expressed in a comment below that there is some level of trust at play. Our magpies nest in a large pine tree maybe 70 to 80 metres away. I go out onto our footpath, put my arms out like an aeroplane, and the magpies see me, launch for a glide, swoop and flare to land on the letterbox beside me. So cool to watch. Don't feed them every day. The regular menu item is mince with crushed, dried cat food. Sometimes they will 'cough' up a bolus - often of beetle carapaces before they feed.

[@cassius42]

Great video mate, you’ve earned my subscription. I’m keen to see what’s next! In my opinion, the Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) often gets overlooked by most people but I find them fascinating to watch.

[@RohanGillett]

I'm another magpie lover, but like many people, I've never studied them seriously. So this video has been a real eye-opener. I learned so much. One day, I'll return home to Australia and will photograph them like heck! Double thumbs up for this video!

[@davidgrowsdragonfruit5301]

Speaking of 'eye opener' be careful... an Aussie loses an eye every year to magpie swooping, and one poor chap had both eyes gouged to point of bleeding while sitting at a bench in Melbourne

[@patrickingram1405]

Thanks mate I’ve had magpies around my home 20 years + , great to have Magpies around 👍

[@andersonomo597]

We have magpies showing up every year when they have babies. They sit on the chairs right outside the kitchen window but only when I'm there, not my hubby because he doesn't feed them. They see me at the big window and fly in like scud missiles laser focused on their target! If I ignore them for too long they start to sing to get my attention. They have me VERY well trained! One year they only had one baby and that baby had a growth next to it's eye - a bit of Googling revealed it was Magpie Pox. The parents stopped feeding the baby, I guessed they figured there was something wrong with it and wouldn't waste the effort to keep feeding it so we took over. The growth ended up covering one eye completely and I was in despair that the magpie would lose that eye. We figured we'd give it a fighting chance and see what happened, so we diligently fed it. It flew in one day - the growth was gone and it looked like there was a divot where the eye should be. I was distraught! What chance would a one-eyed magpie have? We kept feeding it and a few days later I was incredibly relieved to see a shiny eyeball where the divot had been. Had we not fed it through that difficult time I'm not sure it would have survived - at least feeding it was giving it the strength to recover. Last year's two babies were demanding to be fed even when they were pretty well all grown up. The parents would attack them over access to my tidbits and yes, the babies were often left cowering and submissive and looking really sad. Nature has a way of working things out. It's tough to see the harshness of it but they'll probably be okay. They want to survive but have to learn to fend for themselves too. I love my maggies - it's a real honor and privilege to be a part of their lives.

[@paulclissold1525]

Thankyou

[@Beaut_Beau]

How do you just come out of bloody nowhere with this awesome video as your first upload!!!??? Absolutely nuts how good this is.

[@jogrady2555]

Just wonderful! Thank you for such a fascinating video about such fabulous birds!

[@virginiaviola5097]

This was really enjoyable, magpies are awesome. Really smart and very funny. I think we all have stories to tell.

[@barry7608]

I live on the Central Coast of NSW with large rural surrounds. It's been quite some time since we have had a strong and powerful family group living here. My block is 2/3 acre and planted out with mostly native trees and shrubs and some big lawn areas. I have always loved the Magpie because of its courage, flying ability (I've seen them in the most incredible dives with wings pulled in and some serious speed), then there's the very fast attack 'paddle' in horizontal flight wings flapping flat-out. Also its the only bird I've seen stand up to and 'brawl' Indian Mynas. It was a family of Magpies 4 or 5 and a mob of minors all contained in a circle on the ground about 4m across. There was a lot of squabbling going on from both side then the a cocky Myna thought he could take centre stage but was quickly set on by I guess the 'boss' Magpie, literally jumping and wrestling together. Lucky for the Mynas the Magies dominated and it broke up. Lucky because I despise Mynas and was getting ready to dispense a couple. Thanks for the vid.

[@greghudson9717]

The Maggies in my backyard have no love for the Indian Mynas and attack them constantly. On the other hand all the other birds are tolerated - including the Aussie Mynas. We have a bird bath which attracts almost every species in the area. Here's a list: Butcher bird grey/brown Cockatoo black / red tail Cockatoo black / white tail Cockatoo white / sulphur crested Corella Crow / Raven (I can't tell the difference) Currawong Dove Aussie Galah Ibis King Parrot Kookaburra Lorikeet Magpie Magpie peewee? Myna Aussie Myna Indian Pigeon Aussie Rosella Crimson Rosella Eastern Sparrow Starling Wattle bird

[@robalexander7348]

Thank you a nice video of our Maggies, i have a few around my house and they become very friendly if treated with respect, they allow me to get up close to them when i am in the garden it's so nice to have them around 👍

[@CraftingMyWorld]

Thanks for the video. I adore magpies. We have two families that visit our garden: one in the front yard and one in the backyard. They happily wander around the garden whilst we are there. The male from out the back hops on my knee - and all the female magpies from out the front also hop on my knee as does their baby from last season. Interestingly, I hear the front magpies chortle like the kookaburras that we have in our area and make other sounds like currawongs - and as an aside, we have a pied currawong who sings like a magpie on occasion! At the moment, last season's babies sit in our front tree and sing for hours on end and it is so beautiful. I think magpies get a bum-rap in the media re swooping IMHO.

[@mikeperth8027]

Australia wouldn't be the same without our beloved magpies. Good video mate, very entertaining.

[@johntait491]

Very interesting and informative. Thank you. 👍

[@brettarmistead9410]

Thanks for an insightful précis of a wonderful Aussie. When I was homesick overseas I downloaded their songs. I think I never appreciated them until I was away.

[@margareth1504]

Thanks, I like to see everything I can about the gorgeous magpies. They are so facinating.

[@Antipodean33]

My very old mother made the mistake of feeding a couple of Maggies. When she tried to sleep in on those cold frosty winter mornings in the hills, they would start banging on her windows and aluminium screen door. She'd try and ignore it but they were relentless, so she'd organize their food near the back door and when they'd wake her she'd get up and chuck the food out and go straight back to bed. She couldn't handle them banging forever, they had her totally under control

[@allenjenkins7947]

I can't speak for your mother but I can think of far worse things than being woken up by a magpie outside my window.

[@Soupreme2]

If you want to know the exact borders of your local magpies just ask your postie

[@lorindaannleighton4194]

What a wonderful video. Thank you for putting such a wonderful and informative presentation together. I live in country Victoria Australia and have lots of friendly Magpies to sing to us all the time. 😀💕🇦🇺

[@kriseckstein3198]

Great first video to the channel mate. Highly enjoyable and I learnt a lot. Looking forward to the future content!

[@parisaforpeace]

Lol. Love the humour in this. They live up to 25 or more, wow! Just love our local magpies. One of them is very friendly with us, I wonder if he befriended other humans before us.

[@rickadrian2675]

Love it, I have a breeding pair that have nested near my house for 3 years and will swoop in when I use a certain whistle. They will fly in from afar and land on my arm. One of the juveniles form last year started taking food from my arm after only 3 months. They get fed a maximum of twice a week so they don't become dependent and we always have water in the shade for them in summer. They no longer even care about my Wife's pug and will let her get within about 1m before moving....

[@jammity3917]

when I was a kid my parents would chat to and occasionally feed the magpies in our area. one day during breeding season, my class were walking under one of their trees and the magpies swooped us one by one- except for me! incredible birds, thanks for the great video!

[@daniban9039]

Great video! So well presented. I’d love to see you do a video on Willy Wagtails. Can’t wait to see your future videos.

[@carn109]

Magpies are great birds! For a first vid this is great! would love to see more perhaps on other birds like the cockatoo or what not

[@tlihdsnm26947]

Cheeky buggars

[@DavoShed]

Great video. You had me laughing (especially “human activity”) I have often wondered about the piss off call. I get it every morning when I feed the horses. I understand it now, they are telling the other magpies to “piss off, my horse food”. I had a magpie visit for many years but I wasn’t certain at first if it was the same one. It used to bring the kids each year to learn the horse feed thing. One time it turned up with a sore foot. After many months eventually it’s foot fell off. I was actually glad as it clearly was not going to get better. From then on this bird was known as “Hoppy”. A couple of years later with no more young ones Hoppy died, we had a really wet year. well I assume that’s what happened. Two more years on and Mr Hoppy still visits and I think he has a new young wife and they now do the piss off call together. I flick them a couple of pellets and if they get a good bounce they can pluck them out of the air. Like catching flies with chop sticks. I always think “Beginners Ruck”. We have at least 3 magpie territories on our property and there is no doubt they all recognise me and my dogs personally. Mr Swoopy is another personal favourite. 🤠. He hates my dogs and teases them all spring and early summer. He is indifferent to me. I tell the dogs to stop playing with swoopy.

[@youbigtubership]

This is a really fun video. Thanks for the effort and the laughs (human activities...). My appreciation for magpies has increased alot.

[@landspide]

Great video, good balance of information and Aussie humour :)

[@JIMMYtheB0B]

Re future birds, could you do one on Noisy Miners and their war on everything that breathes?

[@WendyJoseph-ww8ws]

Send them back from where they came! Loathe Mynas of any description.

[@Lori-PAX]

I agree the currawong is highly underrated. Has many similar qualities of the magpie. It is unfortunate that in urban areas their territories often overlap. ❤

[@louiserawle8999]

Currawongs are beautiful,but they take a lot of baby birds given the chance.When I lived in Derby in WA there were a lot of butcher birds they also have a beautiful song,but they are brutes they kill so many young or just small birdes,and they impale them on sticks to eat them hence the name BUTCHER birds,and I could not get over the cruelty of that ,even tho it is nature,so I never got friendly with them.

[@Lori-PAX]

@@louiserawle8999 I can only go by my experience when I lived in the Blue Mountains. Never befriended currawongs as they are more elusive. I have befriended small butcher birds in the City, they have a hard life because of competition with Magpies and Currawongs, which I suspect would kill both them and their chicks. I feed these birds which visit me during mating season in the hope they won't resort to this. Nature is all about protecting territory and family, it's tough to experience.

[@louiserawle8999]

@@Lori-PAX yeah I understand what you are saying but it is their nature to do that and nature must never be changed really,it was just after witnessing that behaviour it really upset me.Nature is cruel no doubt about that.

[@john_barnett]

Would love to see more of these! So many interesting birbs to cover

[@christinegaardsted269]

Loved this video,thank you for posting this,also love magpies ❤ and so enjoyed reading the comments with some lovely stories,thanks to all of you for sharing ❤

[@huwmather5477]

My sister has lived in her house for 28yrs and a long time ago she saved a baby magpie and since then the whole family will hang around us with no fear,she doesn't feed them either

[@carltwidle9046]

I once lived in Australia in the city of Sydney. I remember not long after I had arrived I walked into the Domain to have a look around. I must have walked past a tree that had a Magpies young in a nest. Because i got attacked. A large Magpie flew and swooped by me. It scratched the top of my head. I got a fright.

[@ronanrogers4127]

Yep, that’s happened to almost every Australian schoolchild at some stage. I bled a little from my attack, but I adore magpies. Along with Kookaburras, they’re my favourite Australian bird

[@jon.bennett]

Swooping season has started. Got swooped on the weekend riding bikes with my youngest son. Only swooped me.

[@paulclissold1525]

People are arseholes kids throw stones that swooping magpie has been trained by a swooping magpie who was trained by a swooping magpie. Break the chain go a different way or. Or stop back up against an object so he cant get you and drop some food. May not work the first time but it will work. Wish id known that when walking home from school my assailant split my head three times. Ive had alot of fights nothing matches that crack on your head when the maggie gets you you hear the clip of the wing but by then its too late. Carry a bandage for the blood.

[@dylanvandeleur697]

Keep working on your editing! This type of content is great. I would love to see more Australian birds covered in this way

[@Reaper4367]

Maaaate! Outstanding presentation. Educational, humorous and thoroughly enjoyable. Cheers for sharing.

[@saphey]

Wow, great video! Really enjoyable to watch, had such a perfect blend of humour and facts. Would be cool to see one on the Australian Raven

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

I'm definitely planning on doing one on ravens and crows

[@carolynnefitch7364]

Thanks for making this video,I have a bond with magpies they come and visit me everyday.they are a very special and beautiful bird.

[@wiccanwitches]

❤ absolutely brilliant. Thanks for a great wrap up of our friend the Magpie. Go PIES!

[@Ana-sr1qz]

Hi, thank you for the video 👍 I have a question about the local magpis in my area. I’ve noticed the parents have kicked the young juvenile out and he’s not even 1 yet (will be in Sept). Is there any reasons why he was kicked out so early? I feel so sorry for him. He wants to hang out in the yard but is chased away by the parents even before he can set foot on the ground. When he does sneak in, he hides in a bush and sits there for at least 1/2 an hour and just looks sad ☹️

[@the-Backyard-Naturalist]

Hey thanks for the feedback. I think young magpies can be kicked out any time after they've learned to feed themselves, but 1-2 years is typical. I don't know why the parents decided to do it so soon, maybe there's a lack of food in their territory. Poor little guy!

[@tamoui2963]

It may be it is a male young'un.

[@isaiahfiftythree5334]

We have many magpies in our yard, they love to follow me when I work in the garden. They can spot worms and other insects better than me 😀.

[@andersonomo597]

We have magpies showing up every year when they have babies. They sit on the chairs right outside the kitchen window but only when I'm there, not my hubby because he doesn't feed them. The see me at the big window and fly in like scud missiles laser focused on their target! They have me VERY well trained! One year they only had one baby and that baby had a growth next to it's eye - a bit of Googling revealed it was Magpie Pox. The parents stopped feeding the baby, I guessed they figured there was something wrong with it and wouldn't waste the effort to keep feeding it so we took over. The growth ended up covering one eye completely and I was in despair that the magpie would lose that eye. We figured we'd give it a fighting chance and see what happened, so we diligently fed it. It flew in one day - the growth was gone and it looked like there was a divot where the eye should be. I was distraught! What chance would a one-eyed magpie have? We kept feeding it and a few days later I was incredibly relieved to see a shiny eyeball where the divot had been. Had we not fed it through that difficult time I'm not sure it would have survived - at least feeding it was giving it the strength to recover. Last year's two babies were demanding to be fed even when they were pretty well all grown up. The parents would attack them over access to my tidbits and yes, the babies were often left cowering and submissive and looking really sad. Nature has a way of working things out. It's tough to see the harshness of it but he'll probably be okay. He want's to survive but he has to learn to fend for himself too. I love my maggies - it's a real honor and privilege to be a part of their lives.