Not wanting to hijack your thread, Amanda, but Australian Bell Magpies have an interesting social structure based on a tribe. Each tribe has a magical number of members and whenever that number is exceeded (as it usually is in a strong breeding year), the adults will 'run off' the new crop of youngsters as soon as they're independent. If the youngsters don't go, the adults will hurt and sometimes kill them! Amanda's pic looks to me as if Mum might be giving Junior his marching orders.
Boring story on the topic of Magpie tribalism:
Years ago, I was driving out in the country with my Mum. Mum always refused to allow me to go collecting for my various field projects alone, hence I always had her company on these occasions. As we were tootling along a narrow country lane, I happened to notice a large flock of magpies perched all around the top rail of a cattle grid. Everyone was looking down with Great Interest at something which was taking place on the ground.
It was about ten adult magpies assaulting one poor lone little baby!
I immediately stopped the car and put on my Crusader Rabbit hat. Shooing all the grown-up magpies away, I carefully picked up the battered and bleeding baby and popped him into the chaff bag I always kept in my car for 'eventualities' such as this. I took him home and set him up in a flight cage which had recently been vacated by my Eastern Rosellas (may they rest in peace).
Long story short. This magpie grew very tame very quickly. I believed he must have been starving because he'd been prevented from foraging in his tribe's territory. It didn't take long to reach a point where he would ride around on my wrist just like a parrot. Not before he striped my arm with a great long stroke of his pointy bill, though. I still carry the scar from that!
Anyway, the day came when I knew I'd have to let Mr Magpie go. Sadly, he was unable to fly, so I set about teaching him. I made a harness out of cotton tape and would take him down to our paddock every morning for a flying lesson. Again, it didn't take long before he was able to take off and land effectively while wearing his harness. Then the morning came when I removed the harness to see how he'd fly without it. In no time flat, Mr Magpie had a flock of about fifteen of our local maggies crowding around him. After some introductory kerfuffling, they all flew off together with Mr Magpie in their midst. I never saw him again.
If you look up 'Australian magpie' on YouTube, you'll hear the ravishingly pure bell-like call they make. It's really special when they make it from your own back porch by way of calling you to get breakfast!
PS. The day I found Mr Magpie, I also happened upon a Bearded Dragon. Now that was the cause of what I think is an hilarious boring story which I will post elsewhere.
