A magpie known as Molly, famous for his friendship with dogs Peggy and Ruby, may be separated from them again following a court ruling. The Supreme Court has revoked a special license allowing Molly to remain with his rescuers, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, just months after it was granted. Molly’s story began in 2020 […]
Tag: Magpies
Why don’t Tasmanian magpies swoop people? It’s not black and white
In Tasmania, no one has to wear an ice-cream container with eyes on their head when magpies are breeding. That’s because the magpies there don’t swoop – and no one knows why. Magpie Alert, a website that tracks and maps swoops and any resultant injuries, shows 3,271 reported swoopings and 426 injuries around Australia so […]
Thousands of wild animals ‘slaughtered’ every year to protect shooting for sport on grouse moors
An Oxford-led academic study has claimed a staggering 260,000 animals are killed in Scotland every year to protect the grouse population for shooting on country estates. They said the practice of using traps to cull predators on Scottish moors causes “tremendous, unjustifiable suffering” to creatures and must be fully banned. Animals targeted include foxes, weasels, […]
6 Fascinating Facts About the Misunderstood Magpie
Magpies are often maligned as pests, but they’re actually quite interesting birds that are usually overlooked for both their beauty and their intelligence. Here are six interesting facts about magpies. 1. Magpies Don’t Like Shiny Things — They’re Scared of Them Magpies have a reputation as thieves out to steal your shiny jewelry or take […]