Magpie behaviour - is this unusual?

[Roy Harvey <>]

I was in Fyshwick this morning and saw two (apparently) adult magpies about two metres apart - almost facing in opposite directions.

One of the magpies was sitting with its belly on the almost ground, beak almost vertically up, chest feather fluffed up, and wagging its tail quickly from side to side. The other bird was standing and not taking much interest. After tail wagging for a minute or so both birds flew off.

Was this mating behaviour, begging for food? 

In decades of watching magpies I've never seen anything like this display.

Any ideas? 

Roy