Gymnorhina tibicen
Australian Magpie at Queanbeyan West, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Gymnorhina tibicen | natureguy | 22 Jun 2020 | |
| Gymnorhina tibicen | MatthewFrawley | 21 Jun 2020 | |
| Unverified | Speedsta | 21 Jun 2020 |
Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.
6 comments
22 Jun 2020
That's what I found striking, there was something different about it and I couldnt pick it.
Thanks for spotting the obvious, now I feel better :)
Thanks for spotting the obvious, now I feel better :)
22 Jun 2020
Haven't seen that before! Is this a random mutation or a recognised variety?
Or did this one just happen to perch directly under all the other magpies?
22 Jun 2020
This is a quite common variation. Most of the magpies in my area (south of Canberra) are white backs. There are various zones splitting the forms east/west and north/south throughout the country. Quite a bit of research has also happened around this topic. There is even a recent PhD! https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/365743/Dobson_2017_01Thesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
22 Jun 2020
There are 3 main plumages of Magpies. The White-backed subspecies of Magpie is most common in southern Australia, with the regular Black-backed subspecies occurring throughout the rest of Australia and the Western subspecies occurring in Southwest Western Australia. The White-backed Magpie is at its northernmost occurrence in the ACT area so it is generally more common to see Black-backed Magpies locally.
22 Jun 2020
These other CNM sightings are of White-backed Magpies:
https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Sightings/4201776
https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Sightings/3410321
https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Sightings/3392383
https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Sightings/3360763
Location information
- Coordinates 149.216102-35.359864
- Places Queanbeyan West, NSW
Sighting information
- 4 - 15 Abundance
- 14 Jun 2020 11:42 AM Recorded on
- Speedsta Recorded by
Collections
- Speedsta Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Gymnorhina tibicen Magpie or larger Other Birds Birds
Species information
- Gymnorhina tibicen Scientific name
- Australian Magpie Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1104.2m Recorded at altitude
-
Synonyms
Cracticus tibicen Gymnorhina tibicen
Seasonal activity
-
Nesting site
JFMAMJJASOND