Lately the harrassed mother magpie has been closely shadowed everywhere she goes in the yard by her overly large and overly vocal teenager.
Not yet black and white but greyish-brown and white, he is bigger than his mum and always a bit behind in copying whatever she is doing.
The other day she had landed on the bird feeder to check it out.
Finding it empty, as it often is, she quickly took off again.
He sat in it for a while longer, looking confused as to what he was meant to be finding and eating there, and whingeing half-heartedly — but continually.
Then he plunged off after his mother — still whingeing, of course.
Thank you so much DWG for that vivid personal birdview! I now think the mockingbird sounds a little like a good activist– being seen by as many as possible to demonstrate to the masses what its sharp eye and ear determines needs parodying.
As for mere grey for colour–I’m in sympathy now I’m greyhaired and I know if you don’t make a lot of noise you can be invisible!
We have the Grey Shrike-thrush here and it sings a most beautiful liquid melody.
Your red Cardinal may be the equivalent of the Scarlet Robin here – colourful and keen on sunflowers seeds.
Well Trevor has supplied a good link for how it looks and no, it is not a spectacular looking bird, although we all like it regardless of how domineering it is in the yard. It does what it says and mocks the rest with its continuous song and it stands so high on a shrub or post that you have to see it. (Like people) The Cardinal on the other hand is just beautiful and eats from the feeder as long as you provide sunflower seeds for it. And of course the male is more colorful than the female. (Red of course) They light up a dreary day!! We actually have lots of birds that stay year round since I am so far South. By the way the mocking bird does have a sharp eye and can spot a worm or cricket way across the yard!! End of Bird Lesson!! It’s Memorial Day in USA…Have a good one! DWG
Thanks for that link Trevor. Now we know.
It actually has a rather sharp, mocking look in its eye. Like the liarbird/lyrebird too!
Hi Sharyn,
Try the following link:-
http://www.northrup.org/photos/mockingbird/
They don’t look nearly as spectacular as a Lyrebird, which I have always thought should be spelt”liarbird” on account of it’s amazing ability to impersonate! Regards, Trev.
I’m glad I sparked that memory Fleur! I bet we’d both like to know what the actual bird looks like? DWG?
I love that song Sharyn! My dad used to sing it to me all the time! Tra la la, it gives me a thrill, to wake up in the morning to the mocking bird trill!
Teenage magpies are really very noisy and annoying, although they do grow up to be the most beautiful bird.
You know DWG, some of your birds are well known to us, but only in song and literature: mockingbirds especially. ‘Mockingbird Hill’, or ‘Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird’ – and we pass these down to generations.
What does a mockingbird look like?
Poor teen Mag..he has so much to learn and such a short time to learn it. It amazes me that all the Cardinals and Mockingbirds in my yard are an egg one day, and before you know it parents and child are all out chirping and scolding. The little bird, being full size when he leaves the nest just seems so awkward and out of place and as you said “bigger than the mom.” This season especially, I look forward to being able to reclaim my yard. Nesting has been at an all time high!!! Like everything else it is just so interesting and I can’t ignore it. Thanks for your story. DWG