Magpie book review

[Graeme Loh]

Magpie Alert by Darryl Jones of Queensland Parks and Wildife Service and Suburban Wildife Research Group, Griffith University has written a great book about the problems of Australian magpies attacking people.  Key info.  Take away the dive bombing male and it will be replaced by another male that will help raise the nest and may not dive bomb.  If you shift a magpie, it must be for at least 30km for it not to come back.  Wildlife feeding is very popular and has many unforseen effects.

Of course we in NZ can kill them but he does show that generally it is not to hard to avoid problem territories.

But more than a book about magpies, it is a great book about urban human management on the wildlife interface.  A good read.

It is in Dunedin Public Library 598.864 jon

Graeme

[Dave Houston]

Thanks Graeme, quite relevent it being springtime and all.  When in Australia recently this issue was in the local papers and I noted the rather different behaviour of the magpies there - rather bold compared to our gun-shy birds.  Anyway I see you can get more information (including a preview and where to purchase) on this book at http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=OzgLUUrAnk0C

A few questions though;

• how did he recommend 'taking away' the problem male (a helmet-mounted cage trap?)
• Another male(s) will help raise the clutch?  I knew they were group living birds but I didn't think this included breeding/territorial birds
• Do you have a good cage trap design to share?

Cheers, Dave

[Graeme Loh]

To the points.

Yes Taking away the problem male did usually solve the problem without destroying the nest.

Yes it is contra to the idea of loyalty only on ones own chicks.  But the author surmises that getting in good with a female with a good territory was worth the effort of raising unrelated chicks.

Trap designs can be found in a variety of web places and shops.  I have still to try a letterbox trap.  But having a call bird is very effective.

Graeme