Australian magpies are comrades
In a remarkable act of cooperation, the magpie wearing the tracker remained still while the other magpie worked at the harness with its beak. Within 20 minutes, the helping magpie had found the only weak point — a single clasp, barely a millimeter long — and snipped it with its beak. Dr. Potvin and her team later saw different magpies removing harnesses from two other birds outfitted with them.
The scientists took six months to reach this point. Within three days, the magpies had removed all five devices.
Get on their bad side and they'll fuck with you for life. Get on their good side and they'll send their babies into your yard for a visit and keep the cockatoos and kookaburras from fucking with you.
This just continues to confirm my understanding that in Australia literally every creature is trying to kill you
They can be very defensive but their song is like a melodic version of the old dial up modem connection sound. They sing beautifully.
I just like watching the turf battles between the squirrels and magpies.
