Comments on: Better watch out for the maggies! http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082 News, views, invective, opinion and reportage, by and for the Canberra Region. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:10:47 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Thumper http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=2#comment-31607 Thumper Thu, 24 Aug 2006 22:04:29 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31607 RA got a good long mention about this issue on Radio SGS yesterday afternoon. In fact they quoted three or four quotes. RA got a good long mention about this issue on Radio SGS yesterday afternoon.

In fact they quoted three or four quotes.

]]> By: Xanthomyza http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=2#comment-31573 Xanthomyza Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:27:59 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31573 Thumper and others The Australian Magpie is closely related to the Pied Butcherbird (rare here, common out west) and the Grey Butcherbird (more common here than Pied BB) Some photos of the three are <a href="http://photogallery.canberrabirds.org.au/woodswallows_butcherbirds_currawongs_magpie.htm" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The zone between white-backed and black-backed magpies is to our south. You can see all sorts of variations in the amount of white in the back in individuals around town. Some more stuff on maggie races and swooping avoidance tips <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Magpie" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The back of the neck in males is pure white. Females have a grey wash through the white neck. I'm told that magpie gonads swell to 20 times their normal size during breeding. I reckon we'd all be cranky too if that happened to us :-) Thumper and others

The Australian Magpie is closely related to the Pied Butcherbird (rare here, common out west) and the Grey Butcherbird (more common here than Pied BB) Some photos of the three are here.

The zone between white-backed and black-backed magpies is to our south. You can see all sorts of variations in the amount of white in the back in individuals around town.

Some more stuff on maggie races and swooping avoidance tips here.

The back of the neck in males is pure white. Females have a grey wash through the white neck.

I’m told that magpie gonads swell to 20 times their normal size during breeding. I reckon we’d all be cranky too if that happened to us :-)

]]> By: bonfire http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=2#comment-31571 bonfire Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:26:31 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31571 they are called 'port power' birds. they are called ‘port power’ birds.

]]> By: Thumper http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=2#comment-31548 Thumper Thu, 24 Aug 2006 02:10:06 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31548 Another interesting fact. The magpie is actually a pied butcher bird. There is another butcher bird that looks almost exactly the same as a magpie but the markings are slightly different. Another interesting fact.

The magpie is actually a pied butcher bird. There is another butcher bird that looks almost exactly the same as a magpie but the markings are slightly different.

]]> By: Ari http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=1#comment-31546 Ari Thu, 24 Aug 2006 02:05:52 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31546 There are a few of the southern-type magpies around Canberra, it's really quite a striking difference when you see them among the northern-style mob. There are a few of the southern-type magpies around Canberra, it’s really quite a striking difference when you see them among the northern-style mob.

]]> By: Big Al http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=1#comment-31545 Big Al Thu, 24 Aug 2006 01:53:05 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31545 I was told that the boundary between the southern magpies and the northern ones (as described by Bonfire) is actually just south of here near Michelago ... no idea if its true or not. I was told that the boundary between the southern magpies and the northern ones (as described by Bonfire) is actually just south of here near Michelago … no idea if its true or not.

]]> By: bonfire http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=1#comment-31541 bonfire Thu, 24 Aug 2006 01:27:43 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31541 interesting things i know about magpies: around geelong in vic the aboriginal name for magpie is broworrona (roughly) magpies in vic have reverse black and white markings to magpies in the act. they have long memories. older magpie beaks turn very white. they prefer to swoop blondes (i dont know why) i have NEVER been swooped by a magpie despite walking daily through known swoop zones. thats all i got. interesting things i know about magpies:

around geelong in vic the aboriginal name for magpie is broworrona (roughly)

magpies in vic have reverse black and white markings to magpies in the act.

they have long memories.

older magpie beaks turn very white.

they prefer to swoop blondes (i dont know why)

i have NEVER been swooped by a magpie despite walking daily through known swoop zones.

thats all i got.

]]> By: vg http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=1#comment-31529 vg Thu, 24 Aug 2006 00:42:25 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31529 Explain that to the Tuggeranong family who had their 3yo daughter's eye taken out by a magpie. If they swoop when they aren't being threatened (i.e someone casually strolls past them or has the audacity to ride their bike within 300m of a nest) then they should be eradicated. The last thing a magpie will do is going anywhere near my child Explain that to the Tuggeranong family who had their 3yo daughter’s eye taken out by a magpie.

If they swoop when they aren’t being threatened (i.e someone casually strolls past them or has the audacity to ride their bike within 300m of a nest) then they should be eradicated.

The last thing a magpie will do is going anywhere near my child

]]> By: Thumper http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=1#comment-31513 Thumper Wed, 23 Aug 2006 22:15:36 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31513 Nah, leave the maggies alone. As I said, all Australian kids should have the right to be swooped by a magpie at least once in their lives. To not be swooped is to be unAustralian. Nah,

leave the maggies alone. As I said, all Australian kids should have the right to be swooped by a magpie at least once in their lives.

To not be swooped is to be unAustralian.

]]> By: andy http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082&cpage=1#comment-31509 andy Wed, 23 Aug 2006 08:40:58 +0000 http://the-riotact.com/?p=3082#comment-31509 magpies learn... some post grad, or somethin, at CSU, demonstrated with a couple of people. they'd walk through a magpies territory, and just keep goin. the other guy, he'd eye off the magpie, and seem threatening to it. 3 years later, same group of people, magpie continued to attack the guy that was threatening, but not the other ones. moral to the story, if it swoops, bash it. magpies learn… some post grad, or somethin, at CSU, demonstrated with a couple of people. they’d walk through a magpies territory, and just keep goin.
the other guy, he’d eye off the magpie, and seem threatening to it.
3 years later, same group of people, magpie continued to attack the guy that was threatening, but not the other ones.

moral to the story, if it swoops, bash it.

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