Roasting Aggregation of Magpie Larks I don't remember what time of the year but at least 6 years ago I saw hundreds of Magpie Larks come into roost in Mangroves at Rowes Bay in Townsville.
Joan Wharton
On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 2:00 AM <> wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 2 (Michael Hunter)
2. Mascarene Petrel in Australian waters (Phil Gregory)
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2021 04:24:05 +1000
From: Michael Hunter <>
To:
Subject: Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 2
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Re roosting Magpie larks.
Were these Seasonal roosts ? Alan suggests that they are.
Any sex bias ?
Thanks
Michael
Sent from my iPhone
> On 13 Jul 2021, at 2:00 am, wrote:
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> 1. Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks (David Clark)
> 2. Re: Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks (Alan Gillanders)
> 3. Re: Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks (David Clark)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 17:16:41 +1000
> From: David Clark <>
> To: birding-aus <>
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks
> Message-ID:
> <CALdqC2C0dxe_C=>
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>
> 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
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 21:51:18 +1000
> From: Alan Gillanders <>
> To:
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks
> Message-ID:
> <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"
>
> David,
>
> Here in north Queensland young Magpie Larks form flocks at this time of
> year and are often joined by Common Mynahs. I wonder if you could check
> out if they are first year birds.
>
> Regards,
>
> Alan
>
> Alan's Wildlife Tours
> 2 Mather Road
> Yungaburra 4884
>
> Phone 07 4095 3784
> Mobile 0408 953 786
> http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au
>
>> On 12/07/2021 5:16 pm, David Clark wrote:
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 23:25:26 +1000
> From: David Clark <>
> To: Alan Gillanders <>
> Cc: birding-aus <>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks
> Message-ID:
> <CALdqC2AaXJH5HXb=>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> I'm not sure that I could tell Alan but the two established pairs are
> involved and they would have to be 4-5 years old.
>
> Common Mynahs have only appeared here recently and they don't seem to go
> near the Cypress trees. Little Ravens, Red Wattlebirds, Black Kites and
> Brown Falcons regularly roost there.
>
> Cheers
>
> David
>
> On Mon, Jul 12, 2021 at 9:52 PM Alan Gillanders <
> > wrote:
>
>> David,
>>
>> Here in north Queensland young Magpie Larks form flocks at this time of
>> year and are often joined by Common Mynahs. I wonder if you could check out
>> if they are first year birds.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Alan
>>
>> Alan's Wildlife Tours
>> 2 Mather Road
>> Yungaburra 4884
>>
>> Phone 07 4095 3784
>> Mobile 0408 953 786http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au
>>
>> On 12/07/2021 5:16 pm, David Clark wrote:
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>> <HR>
>> <BR> Birding-Aus mailing list
>> <BR>
>> <BR> To change settings or unsubscribe visit:
>> <BR> http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
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>>
>> <HR>
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------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:33:59 +1000
From: Phil Gregory <>
To: Birding-aus NEW <>
Subject: Mascarene Petrel in Australian waters
Message-ID: <>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Just found this tucked away in the section about new books on Birdforum, from Harrison?s new Seabirds Guide (Lynx), quite amazing news: From satellite tracking data of 14 individuals of the critically endangered seabird from Reunion, it was found to be dispersing in the Arabian Sea to NW Australia (Saunier et al 2021) and the LIFE+ petrels project.
Another reason to do a pelagic off NW Oz?...
Phil Gregory
<mailto:m("gmail.com","oreornis");" target="_blank">>
ornithological writer/tour leader/tour facilitator
Field Guides / Sicklebill Safaris / Cassowary Tours
PO Box 597
Malanda
QLD 4885
Australia
Ph: +61 7 4096 8063
Email: <mailto:m("s2travel.com.au","info");" target="_blank">>
Website1: http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com <http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com/> OR www.birder.travel <http://www.birder.travel/>
Website 2: http://www.cassowarytours.com.au <http://www.cassowarytours.com.au/>
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