Ahhh, Australian magpies . . .

Hey, you look interesting.  Do you have food ? ? ? 

I have a passion for wildlife, especially herpetofauna.  But I also adore Australian magpies.  I just can't help it because of their displays of intelligence.  The local subspecies here in the Hunter valley is the Black-backed magpie, Cacticus tibicen tibicen, so named for obvious reasons.

My passion for this species really began in April 2000, when my father introduced me to the local magpie, we had nicknamed "Pew" after the magpie in Murray Ball's legendary cartoon series, Footrot Flats.  Pew was a real character and immediately recognisable by his droopy right wing.  He used to terrorise any visitors to his territory.  If you were local, you were just fine and completely immune from attack.  But woe-betide any visitor for those couple of weeks when Pew and Mrs Pew had chicks that were about to fledge.

I've never forgotten the shrill screams of terror coming from the public toilet across from our office one fine Spring morning.  Dad and I bolted outside, fearing someone was being assaulted in the toilet block.  Well, actually the lady was being harassed but the crazed monster was a uber-defensive magpie, guarding his territory.  Picture the scene; there was Pew, perched on the gutter of the public amenities block, glaring with such venom into the ladies side of the public toilets that the thirty something woman was immobilized and shrieking with pure terror . . .  Looking back, I still remember the look of pure hatred in the magpie's eyes as Dad and I rescued the woman.  He was going to kill her for certain.  Luckily for Pew, the woman was not physically injured at all, and we were able to persuade her that our magpie was only like that while he had young in the nest.  No complaint was made.  I often wonder how close the old fella came that day to getting a dangerous bird complaint made against him.

Anyway, I crossed paths with another pair of magpies on Sunday that made me laugh.  They were watching me, so I laid flat on the ground and pretended to dig in the lawn.  Incredibly curious, the magpies came right up to me for a closer look.  A much closer look . . .    

Angry Birds?  Nope, just a curious magpie.   

They came really close to me to see what this weird human was doing.   

What ARE you doing down there you strange human? 

Coast is clear.  He's just plumb crazy . . . and then they left me to chase a passing Australian raven out of their territory.