I do not comprehend how any Australian could POSSIBLY not adore magpies. They have a wonderful family ethos, they’re the handsomest magpie in the world, and their song is just heavenly. I should say, their speech, shouldn’t I ?
This is a lovely frame, CJ: you should be proud !
Oh, and P.S.: I didn’t know there are two kinds. [hangs head]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_magpie
Wikipedia says “The Australian magpie was subdivided into three species in the literature for much of the twentieth century—the black-backed magpie (G. tibicen), the white-backed magpie (G. hypoleuca), and the western magpie (G. dorsalis)” But, in 1969, because they hybridise readily where their territories overlap, they were reclassified as one species.
The framing? Clever cropping on my part. Thank you 🙂
My auntie in Albury lived at the end of a court that led to paddocks. You could hear the maggies chatting away to each other. They sounded so welcoming. I think a lot of Australians are very wary of them because at breeding time they have a tendency to swoop. I have noticed that people near us feed the local maggies and as soon as the chap comes out the front door at meal time they are straight down to his yard. I used to throw bread to them at the local park, but have been told bread is not good for them because of all the artificial junk added. (makes you wonder doesn’t it?). Vaguely remember something about 2 types but Maggies are Maggies, aren’t they.
I was just reading Wikipedia and they decided, in 1969, after splitting them up for most of the twentieth century into three species (white-backed, black-backed and western) to reclassify them as the one species – for the different ones were creating hybrids where their territories overlapped! There nine subspecies.
Christine R 
I do not comprehend how any Australian could POSSIBLY not adore magpies. They have a wonderful family ethos, they’re the handsomest magpie in the world, and their song is just heavenly. I should say, their speech, shouldn’t I ?
This is a lovely frame, CJ: you should be proud !
Oh, and P.S.: I didn’t know there are two kinds. [hangs head]
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_magpie
Wikipedia says “The Australian magpie was subdivided into three species in the literature for much of the twentieth century—the black-backed magpie (G. tibicen), the white-backed magpie (G. hypoleuca), and the western magpie (G. dorsalis)” But, in 1969, because they hybridise readily where their territories overlap, they were reclassified as one species.
The framing? Clever cropping on my part. Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My auntie in Albury lived at the end of a court that led to paddocks. You could hear the maggies chatting away to each other. They sounded so welcoming. I think a lot of Australians are very wary of them because at breeding time they have a tendency to swoop. I have noticed that people near us feed the local maggies and as soon as the chap comes out the front door at meal time they are straight down to his yard. I used to throw bread to them at the local park, but have been told bread is not good for them because of all the artificial junk added. (makes you wonder doesn’t it?). Vaguely remember something about 2 types but Maggies are Maggies, aren’t they.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was just reading Wikipedia and they decided, in 1969, after splitting them up for most of the twentieth century into three species (white-backed, black-backed and western) to reclassify them as the one species – for the different ones were creating hybrids where their territories overlapped! There nine subspecies.
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