Currawong, murderer?

[mariko buszynski <>]

Hi, all

I am a new and quite incompetent wildlife carer.  I left three young Magpie babies in the garden.  They cannot fly yet but walk.  One had a leg injury and cannot walk.  I heard Magpie stress calls and Currawong's call.  When I went out to the garden after a few minutes two babies were dead.  The smallest one did not have any visible injury and the leg-injured one had a stab wound like thing at the back, blood smeared.  The third one was hiding amongst the long grass and escaped. 

I did not witness the scene but it has to be a resident Currawong.  I do not feed Currawongs, though they pinch some food from Magpie-Larks, but not from Magpies.

My dog was inside the house sleeping away and because of her our garden is free from cats.

I never thought Currawongs would attack Magpie chicks, they are not nestlings.  Currawongs would not eat them, then why should they attack them?  For that matter, why did I leave babies in the garden?  I thought it is good for them to roam about and get some sun.

I wonder how Magpie parents take care of such babies which are mobile yet not able to fly in the wild.

with remorse,

Mariko