Magpie query

[nytecam]

Six week ago two magpies [re]built a nest on our firtree ~30ft up but afterwards constantly buzzed by crows which we sometime chased-off.

More recently there are two magpies in our garden but one has short tail feathers and begs [flaps its wings] in the presence of the second magpie but is never feed. We've never seen a third bird presumably adult. Both current birds return to the nest and are noisy and 'chatter' a lot.

What's going on? Advise appreciated.

[Wild-Woman]

Sounds like a chick ( the one with the short tail feathers) and a parent. Perhaps one of the parents has died and instinct would see to it that the remaining one did all the donkey work. I feel that so long as the chick can fly, then it is well equipped to being able to feed itself and the 'begging' will stop soon. If you watch starlings, they're just the same - perfectly able to feed by themselves but take advantage of the parents by begging.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

If you watch starlings, they're just the same - perfectly able to feed by themselves but take advantage of the parents by begging.

This is so with many fledgings. It's a way of 'weaning' the youngsters off being fed by parents. Youngsters will watch parents feed then emulate them. My brood of Great Tits are still being fed at times by parents but also feeding for themselves too as are the Starlings. (Parents don't let their chicks starve so don't worry Nytecam if you see begging going unanswered - often parents will actually chase their youngsters away from feeders and away from the more dependent siblings).

The important thing is not to interfere at this stage and try and feed chicks yourself directly as it could railroad parents attempts to teach them to find natural food sources.

[hobble]

I agree with the last post, we also have a Great Tits still feeding young in the trees. In fact as I sit here I can hear them!!
Our robins often do this also after they have fledged.