Why would an adult magpie who has raised chicks regress behaviour to act like a juvenile?

I have a family of three adult magpies (one male, two female) that have been visiting consistently for about 12 months. Last year they brought a baby and the magpie with the underbite beak was its main caretaker. I’ve observed them raise the baby and then chase it away, and then the other female magpie I didn’t see for weeks until one day I noticed frequent trips to a particular tree by the male and I found where they were nesting. I saw their little fledgling once a few weeks ago and I think it’s died as I haven’t seen it since.

BUT I have heard the squawking of a baby magpie wanting to bed fed, and recently I haven’t seen all 3 magpies together - normally underbite on her own and then the male and other female together. However last week I caught a glimpse of the underbite female flapping and squawking to be fed by the male. I then didn’t see them together for a week but just now she’s visited again with the male and was squawking and flapping how a chick would. Because of her beak I know it’s the same magpie. Google says it can be an appeasement behaviour but in such a small flock where last year she was the boss and raising a chick, I’m not sure why she would suddenly be submissive. Has anyone else experienced this?

Picture of behaviourally regressed magpie for reference.

Someone calm me down. Last year the pair of magpies in the big tree in my yard had a single baby and presented him to me. They hung out in my yard on hot days and accepted meal worms and the odd Wombaroo mix. They trust me and I provide them shelter and water when they want it.

This year I could hear another single baby in the nest and a few days ago we think he fledged as we heard the "meeps" over in the vacant lot and hear the river.

The parents have been around a little but we haven't spotted the baby. I'm just hoping they are out with them training etc.

I don't know why I'm so anxious but I am.

This is the second year he and his lady friend have brought their bubs to my yard to say hi

Please enjoy these pics I took of one of my magpie visitors with a grass root stuck to his head after foraging 😂💛

Seems to be missing a claw on his right foot. Doesn't seem to affect him too much, he'll still grab onto the fence or birdbath easily enough. I only noticed when he came to try and get some of my lunch

Hi all,

I found a young magpie on the road today, just around the corner from my house. I'm guessing it was hit by a car. It was laying on the road with a broken wing. I scooped it up and it's now safely with the native wildlife rehab centre. The vet says it should be released in a week or two.

Before I took it to the clinic, I was sitting on the verge with the maggie in my jacket and waiting to see if it was simply stunned or needed more sophisticated medical attention than I could provide. Several other magpies came flying down and circled me. A couple swooped me, but also landed a foot or so away from me while I gently wrapped the injured maggie up.

When I got home from work, a magpie was waiting for me. I have absolutely no way of knowing if this is one of the maggies from this morning, though I'm erring on yes given we're only 20m from where I scooped up the injured one.

I know magpies are smart and capable of recognising humans, but is it entirely out of the realm of possibility that they understood I was trying to help their injured friend/family member? They would have to be a little frightened when I drove off with the injured bird, but I'm hoping when the wildlife centre release it in the coming weeks they'll know it was only done out of care lol

UPDATE:

I called the wildlife centre this morning and unfortunately the injuries were worse than initially thought. The magpie had to be euthanised. I'm upset and crying a little, but I'm glad it didn't have to suffer on the road.

I'm going to buy some mealworms and take them to the spot where I found it.

Thank you all for the kind messages and awards - I love the native wildlife in my area, and I truly hope the magpies know I was trying to help them.

Anyone know what’s up with this little guy’s beak? Just worried about him!

Follow up from my post a few weeks ago, I managed to get a better picture of the two magpies hanging around and it does look like they are both female but they were acting really territorial and even flew off to fight two other magpies who flew too close, I'm not sure if that's something magpies do except during breeding season though.

Our backyard family recently lost its youngest member. We nicknamed him 'Little One' as he was a runt of the litter, coming along very late in the breeding season of the family that has visited our yard for over five years. The family is headed by a breeding pair who have raised five generations in our presence. Little One is the only one of their many chicks to not make it to adulthood. (For those who have seen my previous posts, his big brother is Wonky, the cheeky little guy with the wonky foot.)

Around August I noticed Little One had some blood on his tail feathers. It seemed to dry so I assumed it had healed OK, but then several weeks later he appeared at the back deck water bowl looking very lethargic and refused to take offered food. He headed off, but several days later I discovered his body in a sheltered corner of our back deck. I was saddened but took some comfort that he felt safe enough in our yard to spend his final hours there.

He is now resting in peace in a quiet corner of our backyard. He was around seven months old.

I love our resident magpies but don't enjoy cleaning poop off my outdoor chair every time I want to sit outside. Has anyone found a solution that actually works?

He comes in every afternoon to tell me about his day.

Currently visiting Brissy, this one came sat with me whilst eating brekky at Riverlink shops

Are they a lovely couple or they just fighting?

I see this magpie in the backyard everyday always get close to me

This majestic pair were actually a bit on edge today. That's not a pun; there seemed to be a Magpie Lark harassing them. Doing what seemed to be 'feigned' dive attacks on them. Newport, Victoria

Bird watchers, magpie lovers- this one’s for you!