Magpie-lark

Overview

The magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) is a passerine bird native to Australia, Timor, and southern New Guinea. It has been reclassified from the mudnest builder family to the monarch flycatchers (Monarchidae) and is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Small to medium-sized bird, 25 to 30 cm long, with bold black and white plumage.
• Males have a black throat and a white 'eyebrow', while females have a white throat.
• Known for its high-pitched shrieks and the ability to sing in duets with its mate.

Habitat

This species is common and widespread across Australia, excluding Tasmania and some inland desert areas in the far north-west of Western Australia. It also inhabits southern New Guinea, Timor, and was introduced to Lord Howe Island. It thrives in both urban and rural environments, often seen perched on telephone wires or patrolling bare ground, foreshores, and swamps.

Diet

Primarily carnivorous, the magpie-lark feeds on a variety of small creatures. It forages in habitats with soft, bare ground, such as those found in agricultural zones where dense forests have been cleared.

Did you know?

Magpie-larks are known to attack mirrors, windows, and other reflective surfaces because they mistake their own reflections for intruders into their territory.