In what can only be described as “disgusting behaviour” a magpie has been located in a neighbourhood flock with a portion of its beak
cut off.
Another appears to have had its
tail clipped.
A Bridge Street resident, who wishes to have their identity undisclosed, alerted the Independent to the bird’s plight.
The person said a flock of about 20 of the birds was a permanent fixture in the street.
The resident said they often left scraps for the magpies when they flew onto their decking, but was appalled when they noticed one of the younger birds with its beak cut off last week.
“Who would do such a thing?” the resident said.
“No one deserved to be mutilated, not any animal, not even a magpie.
“The brute/s who did this deserve/s to be punished.
“To watch it trying to pick food up is enough to make me cry.”
The Independent alerted National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the local FAWNA (For Australian Wildlife Needing Aid) branch about the bird’s injuries.
In turn they said it was unfortunate and unacceptable.
NPWS officer Amanda Smith recommended residents in Bridge Street try to capture the injured bird and take it to a vet for an examination.
She said the bird had either been maimed or was possibly diseased.
The Bridge St resident said they saw the birds every day and unless the bird’s beak literally fell off overnight due to illness, it was definitely a sudden injury and most likely one inflicted by someone who did not like the birds’ presence in the street.
“The beak looks like it is cut recently,” the person said.
“Also there is one in the flock with its tail neatly cut off.”
Mrs Smith said that NPWS recommended people did not feed the birds as, on the chance it was a disease, household scraps and hand feeding could tamper with the birds’ diet and cause a calcium deficiency that would offset disease.
She said other reasons why residents shouldn’t feed birds included:
• When you feed native animals you’re giving them the wildlife equivalent of junk food. Instead of eating a wide range of natural foods, they become dependent on processed seeds, bread and other foods that are not part of their natural diet. This can make them very sick.
• They may also lose their ability to forage for natural foods and become dependent on people. Animals that expect to be fed by people can become aggressive, harassing people for food when they are hungry.
• The birds become a nuisance. You may start feeding one or two birds but, within a short space of time, great flocks can descend. This can be a frightening experience, especially for
small children.
• If the birds are susceptible to illnesses, that can be transferred to other birds. Young birds lose the ability to forage for food and, when not fed by humans, may starve. Hand feeding can also affect bird breeding cycles.
• The birds take over. Populations of some birds increase, displacing other birds and mammals that shelter in tree hollows. When currawongs and ravens are hand-fed they breed up and prey on smaller birds, causing an imbalance in bird populations.
Magpies naturally feed on small insects and animals that live on, or just under, the surface of the ground. A favourite is the scarab beetle, which is a major pest of garden lawns. Magpies will also eat frogs, small lizards, meat scraps and grain.
To learn more, NPWS can be contacted on 6588 5555.
FAWNA volunteers run a 24 hour wildlife rescue emergency hotline on 6581 4141.
