canberrabirds

Do magpies sleep? + owl

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Subject: Do magpies sleep? + owl
From: Paul Tyerman <>
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 22:46:54 +1000


PS: The first bird you hear in the morning is almost always a magpie (from my experience). I have bad memories of early-morning-maggies. It all came about during earlier times in my life where I would stay up all night. When you start hearing the magpie call from about 5-6am, you know you have stayed up too late. I wont go into the detail, as most of you could imagine. But that early morning magpie ring in the ears sends me back to the all-nighter days. Ooooh, I don't know, but it's bad hahaha.

This isn't just before dawn, at the moment it literally IS all night. It only started up about 10 days ago, I'm assuming it coincided with the start of the breeding season. It is definite song, not just vague sounds, always from the same direction and aproximate volume so what I am hearing I would hazard is the same bird all the time. In past years I have heard other birds calling in response (as we discussed a week or two ago when it all started up) but I haven't heard more than one this season as yet (but I also haven't made any attempt to listen for periods either). I am assuming it is either a territorial advertisement or something like that, letting everyone know who has control of this particular piece of real estate <grin> but I am wondering how it is that the bird can sing all night and yet be active all day (as the magpies definitely are at the moment). If they ARE calling in their sleep then they only do it at this time of year, or at least they only started doing so in the last few weeks. Others have been hearing it as well. It is just that it has now become so constant here that it amazes me how they manage to function during the day! <grin>

Cheers.

Paul T.
Higgins ACT

Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia - USDA Zone Equivalent approx. 8/9

Growing an eclectic collection of plants from all over the world including Aroids, Crocus, Cyclamen, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Galanthus, Irises, Trilliums (to name but a few) and just about anything else that doesn't move!!

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