Wednesday, April 16, 2008

ABC Wednesdays - M for Magpie

The Australian magpie is common throughout both urban and rural areas. I went for ride the other morning and found plenty of them feeding on the ground in local parks, making it relatively easy to photograph.

During their breeding season they are well known for swooping at passers by if they feel there is a threat to their young. It is quite disconcerting to be attacked when riding along on a bike, but at least on a bike your helmet offers some protection.

The magpie is the emblem for one of South Australia's local football teams; the Port Adelaide Magpies.The South Australian flag, coat of arms and badge features a piping shrike, which is a white backed magpie with arms outstretched.


To find out more about ABC Wednesdays and see links to other participants' sites go to mrs nesbitts place

20 comments:

ellen b. said...

Nice choice for M! Love the name of that bird the Magpie!! Happy Wednesday to you...

Leslie: said...

Interesting commentary about the magpie. :D

Katney said...

Our magpies are different. They are also black and white, but in a different configuration. We have them all over the rural area but not so much in the town. They scavenge roadkill.

Kyanite said...

Intresting M!
The UK magpie has irredescent blue amongst its plummage.

Anonymous said...

We also have magpies but they look a little bit different. It´s a funny bird, someone collects things that have been discarded by others.

FO - 2 said...

Interesting M! :)
Nice information. I`m glad you wore a helmet that day. ;)

Juliana RW said...

beautiful magpie...

Hope you have time visit my M Thanks

ArneA said...

Norwegian Magpies are the bird that always makes so much noises in the summer morning fighting cats around our cottage, that they should be ripped off the ground.
However they are beautiful birds

Andrea said...

Interesting bird.

Rune Eide said...

We have a bird that is probably related to this one, but it was news to me that it featured in a flag! Always willing to learn.

Liz Hinds said...

WE have lots of magpies too. Incidentally, did you know that a group of magpies is called a tittering?

Petunia said...

I love all posts with birds<3

Petunia's ABC

Neva said...

A nice looking bird that is noisy, right?
I hope you can stop by here or here!

Unknown said...

What a magnificent post for M.

Unknown said...

Great M post today!

alicesg said...

Nice information of the magpies.

Diana S said...

that's the first Magpie I've seen, except for the cartoons. thanks!

Pernille said...

The people are jumping on that mountain the whole summer, but I think they are very crasy! My photo are not so good, but you can see that they are taking film of them when they are going to jump.

You have a very nice photos and nice M's! The first one are just beautiful:)
Have a nice day:)

Dragonstar said...

Magpie is an excellent "M", and your photo does it justice. Looks rather different to the European magpie though.

The D in D & T said...

Magpies!! Completely South Australian!!