Hi
Since I cannot find an aus.birds group, hope you can help.

WE have magpies who visit several times a day for year.
The male has over the last few months started to show streaks of white
coloring on his head (above eyes) that has always been jet black.

Is this the magpie equivalent of grey hairs???

:-)

Thanks


Gerry

"Gerry" wrote in message
...
Since I cannot find an aus.birds group, hope you can help.

WE have magpies who visit several times a day for year.
The male has over the last few months started to show streaks of white
coloring on his head (above eyes) that has always been jet black.

Is this the magpie equivalent of grey hairs???
Gerry

Probably Magpie stress.

Why don't you try aus.general

Raels
xxx

In article ,
"Raels" wrote:

Why don't you try aus.general

Or try the Zoo or Australian Museum.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

G,day Gerry,
I don't know for sure with Magpies, but in many birds
it's either a sign of reaching full maturity or, with older birds, the male
has become the senior of his clan.

--
China
Wingham
NSW

China wrote:

G,day Gerry,
I don't know for sure with Magpies, but in many birds
it's either a sign of reaching full maturity or, with older birds, the male
has become the senior of his clan.

I don't know either, but this suggestion sounds reasonable.

Magpies usually breed in family groups with one male and a number of
females (mum and daughter). Well that was the contents of a CSIRO paper
in the 70s.

The actual family size will depend on the patch they own.