Magpie-Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) lives in open savanna across Australia, New Guinea. It feeds on insects and worms. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Magpie-Lark
- Magpie-larks are fiercely territorial and will chase away birds many times their size, even confronting a wedge-tailed eagle when it intrudes on their area. Their aggression extends to any perceived threat near the nest, so they will swoop at people who approach too closely. Such attacks are not as violent as those of some other species, but they can still startle a person and cause a minor injury.
- When a magpie-lark sees its own reflection in a shiny surface, it treats the image as an intruder and will repeatedly dive at mirrors, windows or other reflective objects. This behaviour is part of its territorial routine, which also sees the birds perching on fences and near houses to mark the limits of their domain. By attacking the false rival, the bird attempts to drive away what it believes to be a competing individual, reinforcing its claim to the area.
- The magpie-lark builds a distinctive mud-plastered nest that is roughly 150 mm across and has vertical sides, giving it a round appearance. These nests are usually placed on a flat branch close to water or on the horizontal beam of a telephone pole, providing a stable platform. Constructed from grass and plant material bound together with mud and lined with soft grass, feathers and fur, the nest offers protection and insulation for the clutch of three to five eggs.
- Pairs sing in duets, each bird delivering a note about once per second, offset by half a second, which makes the two voices sound like a single bird to human ears. In magpie-larks this duet is a cooperative act, with the pair singing together to defend their territory. They respond more vigorously to duet calls from other birds than to a single rival, and the reaction is strongest when the callers are unfamiliar strangers.
- It was introduced onto Lord Howe Island in 1924, a remote island 600 km to the east of Australia in the Tasman Sea, and it has since become widespread on the island. The species' ability to thrive there mirrors its success on the mainland, where it is a common and very widespread bird occupying all parts of Australia except Tasmania and some far-north-west desert.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeAustralia, New Guinea
HabitatOpen savanna
DietInsects and worms
About the Magpie-Lark
In the sun-baked landscapes of Australia, the Magpie-Lark dances with effortless elegance, its iridescent feathers glimmering like polished onyx as it flits between earth and sky. With a flick of its slender tail, it takes to the air, its wings beating in a staccato rhythm as it pursues the insects that dart across the grasslands. As it moves, its distinctive call echoes through the stillness, a melodious phrase that weaves in and out of the rustling leaves and snapping twigs, a symphony of sound that heralds the presence of this charismatic bird.
Hear the Magpie-Lark, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
