Australian Magpies

Australian Magpie (Black-backed race)

Yesterday I reported on the birds I have observed at Geranium, a small farming community in the Murray Mallee area of South Australia. One species that is very conspicuous is the Australian Magpie. On a walk around the school grounds and oval I was interested to observe two distinct sub-species of magpie present and interacting with each other.

Sub-species of Australian Magpies

There are three recognised sub-species of magpies in Australia.

Gymnorhina tibicen or the Black-backed Magpie is the nominate race. Its back is mainly black and is widespread throughout eastern, northern and western Australia.

Gymnorhina tibicen hypoleuca or the White-Backed Magpie occupies large areas of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. It interbreeds successfully with the Black-Backed Magpie.

Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis or Western Magpie is confined to the SW parts of Western Australia.

Because there is hybridisation across the races this has led to the conclusion that this is in fact one species. Where they live together, such as at Geranium, there can be significant differences in the amounts of black, white and intermediate shades of grey, which can be rather confusing in the field.

Here at home in Murray Bridge the dominant form is the White Backed. I have only ever seen one black backed in the immediate district. As one travels east, however, you see more and more Black-Backed and grey backed individuals. Once in NSW or Victoria there seem to be far more Black-Backed than white.

Australian Magpie (White-backed race)

References:
To read the Australian Museum article on this species click here. This article includes a painting and a photo of a magpie.

The Wikipedia article is also of interest as it has several good photos and an interesting supplementary article about the danger of magpies swooping in the breeding season.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia by Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight (1997 Angus and Robertson).