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Thread: Maggie the Magpie!

  1. #1
    God/dess Lysondra's Avatar
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    Default Maggie the Magpie!

    I posted this on a parrot community (thus the references) and thought I'd post it here.

    ----

    How totally coincidencial!

    Today, after discussing my parrot plans with you all last night, I came across a beautiful little baby magpie with it's wing broken. It also had a broken foot and was covered in large bite-y ants. It's mum was barely feeding it and it was crying hopping around trying to get food from mum.

    I called the rspca and asked if I was allowed to pick up the bird. I was. I could either take it home and have the RSPCA pick it up or take it to the nearest vet. Since I had class (and, incidentally, I was an hour early on my trip there!) I walked to the vet. On the way, a few people told me I should just leave the magpie to die (it's the Australian equivilent of a pidgeon, really) and I was horrified. I spent the entire kilometer walk picking ants off the magpie. Half-way I saw the Brisbane City Council sitting by their van. Knowing they were government workers I asked if they could take me to save the magpie at the vet. One told me to kill it and the other got REALLY defensive and said, "I voulenteer at the RSPCA every weekend and I'm OFFENDED you'd say that!"

    They couldn't leave their post so I had to huff it to the vet.

    The magpie fell asleep in my coat where I had it wrapped up. I started scritching her and she started 'purring'. I'm sure your birds purr so you know what I mean. Cooing, I suppose. Every once in awhile she'd look up at me and go 'chirp?' almost questioningly. Then close her eyes, fluff up and nuzzle her beak into my chest.

    When I got to the vet, I sadly turned Maggie in. I have called a few times since then to ask on the progress of the bird.

    They are giving her 8-12 weeks to fix her wing and learn how to fly again. If she doesn't - she's going to need a caretaker!

    I want Maggie to fly again but I also feel TERRIBLE for taking her from her family. If I had her, I'd put her in a birdyharness and take her to visit them (if they still like her). I wonder how her mum is feeling.

    So in two months I might have my own baby magpie.

    The vet was really shocked at how well it seemed to attach to me so quickly.

    I know it's not a parrot and it's not ever going to talk, but I really bonded with Maggie. I also know this a parrot community and this is not a parrot but I thought that after my post yesterday that this would be QUITE an interesting followup.

    Ahhh, what a weird bird to get.


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  2. #2
    aussiepunkshocker
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    I thought this was going to be about magpies attacking you! I hate this time of year because i walk or ride my bike everywhere and they can get really vicious. Thats probably why so many people dont care about them.

    Thats very sweet though, good for you! They are a protected spieces here.

  3. #3
    God/dess Lysondra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    ^ Yeah I was attacked by it's family while rescuing it. I couldn't have cared. I was yelling at it's mum "I'm SAVING your baby!!"... the mum didn't understand and I felt SO BAD for tearing them apart but I HAD to save it.

    My boyfriend told me it was a pest last time I saw it and that the RSPCA would kill it. I have since beaten him up for telling me that, found the bird again, and rescued it.

    I was mad when people didn't care about it. If it were a human baby with broken limbs on the side of the street, I'd have 20 people helping me. Just because it's a bird doesn't make it in any less pain than a human baby...

    ...I'll shutup before I rant.


    Look like a woman
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  4. #4
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    That's freakin' awesome! A pet magpie!!

    I love magpies. My ex hated them because they woke him up every morning with their shrieks and warbling, and because one near our apartment building spent the whole month of October attacking him every time he went outside. I was attacked once too, but I still love them. I love their warble.

    Good on you for saving the baby! How long do magpies live?

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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    Those birds must have some weird habitat regions. We had them going through our trash in Northern Alberta, but I don't think any live in Southern/Eastern Ontario (never seen em). But they're in Australia too? That's a far cry from the freezing Alberta climate I saw them in. Bizarre.

  6. #6
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    Molly, my grandparents took pictures of the Alberta kind of magpies when they were hiking in Banff, and they don't look like the magpies that live in Queensland. They're probably related but not the same species. I think magpies live in England too, but again it's probably a different species.

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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    Aww. That is so cool that you're looking after him. Magpies are so lovely. I've had them wander in to my house before
    I've never heard before that they were pests. I know the RSPCA and WIRES hate Indian Minor birds, but not magpies! Maybe it's a Queensland thing?
    Fools laugh at others. Wisdom laughs at itself...Osho

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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    Quote Originally Posted by Yekhefah
    Molly, my grandparents took pictures of the Alberta kind of magpies when they were hiking in Banff, and they don't look like the magpies that live in Queensland. They're probably related but not the same species. I think magpies live in England too, but again it's probably a different species.
    Aha, that makes sense. I thought something was up.
    This is a version of the little bastards I'm talking about. Ok, they're not all that bad, but they're kinda like seagulls where I lived. Garbage pickers, and man do they squawk! They're not ugly to look at though.

  9. #9
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    I couldn't find a very good picture of the Queensland kind, but here's a crappy one. They look like the same genus, but different species.


  10. #10
    God/dess Lysondra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    They're not pests, they're protected. I was mad at Michael for that.


    Look like a woman
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    Default Re: Maggie the Magpie!

    Cute! It's so special to bond with a wild animal.

    I had a similar situation with a sparrow a few years ago, but it had been booted from the nest (I don't know why)- it wasn't broken. So my cousins and I kept it warm and helped to teach it to fly.

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