we have two female and one male magpie that visit our garden each day.
we offer some meat and notice that they cannot eat unless they first disgorge a pellet of black material from their throats.
What could this be ? and are we correct in assuming that the birds with grey mixed with the white feathers are female and the one with pure white to be the male understanding that the birds are black and white .
would appreciate any information as we have not seen this with other birds in our garden
regards
peter
Hello Peter, the pellets contain the indigestible parts of the food they have eaten.
The pellets are formed in the gizzard and then, as you have witnessed, regurgitated out the beak.
Many other birds besides raptors (hawks/owls) such as ravens, currawongs and robins cannot digest everything they eat
such as beetle legs and wings etc. As a consequence every now and then they cough up a pellet.
Yes you are right the grey birds are female and the white male.
Cheers,
al
Cheers,
al
Central Victoria
https://sites.google.com/site/blackhillreservekyneton/home
Thanks very much al
regards
peter
Morning peter, all the immature birds are grey-brown, and duller...
M-L