The Australian Black-Backed Magpie (Cracticus tibicen tibicen) is a diurunal medium-sized black and white passerine bird, native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It is found in Queensland and New South Wales in eastern Australia.

They are mainly glossy black, with a few white patches, especially at the back of their necks. They have orange-brown eyes, and a hard, sharp beak.

They grow to about 43 centimetres (17 inches).

The Australian Black-Backed Magpie likes grasslands, fields, and urban areas, such as parks and gardens.

They nest in trees, but feed along the ground. They are omnivorous because they eat earthworms, snails, spiders, scorpions, ants, beetles, moths, frogs, and caterpillars.

It is territorial, protecting its territory by attacking other birds, animals and even humans.

Females lay 2-5 light blue or green eggs. The chicks hatch in about 20 days. The chicks are altricial, which means that they are born pink, naked, and blind. Their eyes open in about 10 days. Fledglings leave the nest after about one year.

It is not related to the European Magpie, which is in the Corvidae family. Australian Magpies are from the Artamidae family, similar to butcherbirds.

 

 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM