I'm looking out my study window at the gathering of
Magpie Larks that occurs around this time every day on
our property on the Bellarine Peninsula.
There are usually two pairs of Magpie Larks on our property
and last summer one pair fledged three young so we could see
up to five quite regularly. A few months ago, I noticed quite
a few more arriving an hour or so before dusk. This was
accompanied by lots of calling, group flights and the
occasional scrap between individuals.
As I'm writing this, at least ten Magpie Larks have flown
to the bare lower branches of our large Cypress trees and
are perched there. Later on they will move higher up among
the foliage and will be joined by others until there are at
least 30 Magpie Larks roosting there overnight. They seem to
disperse at first light and we're left with two pairs.
Some of the neighbouring farms had large Cypress trees but
many have been removed over the last 12 months and there
aren't many other large trees with extensive canopies.
I have seen aggregations of Magpie Larks, most notably at
Kakadu where I counted 50 perched together in a huge gum
during the day, but I was not aware that Magpie Larks roosted
communally.
Have our Cypress trees become the dormitory for the
neighbourhood's Magpie Larks?
Cheers
David
