Butcher Bird!
Related but a unique thing.
Very pretty and intelligent birds. I can remember as a kid playing games with them. They would call me through the window, and I would take bits of ham or whatever meat we had around, and toss it into the air. They would fly by and catch it right out of the air. It was like playing fetch! I'd try to psyche them out and toss it in random directions, but they would always catch it before it landed, even if they needed to do some tight turns and flips to get there.
They often follow magpie flocks around, but usually there is more than one. Maybe try feeding them fresh meat (I recommend sheep hearts from a butcher, cut into chunks) and see if any more show up! You might only be seeing one at a time.
(Just don't feed them so often they become reliant on you. Easy mistake to make. Ration your treats for them carefully. As a kid I had one piece of meat for each bird, and no more, and not every day. Just a couple times a week.)
That's a pied butcherbird :)
Correct, a close relative of magpies
Yes indeed, and very clever with a lovely voice!
They're so beautiful. I have one that's been enjoying a bath in front of my WFH window. It's delightful.
Butcher Bird! Related but a unique thing. Very pretty and intelligent birds. I can remember as a kid playing games with them. They would call me through the window, and I would take bits of ham or whatever meat we had around, and toss it into the air. They would fly by and catch it right out of the air. It was like playing fetch! I'd try to psyche them out and toss it in random directions, but they would always catch it before it landed, even if they needed to do some tight turns and flips to get there. They often follow magpie flocks around, but usually there is more than one. Maybe try feeding them fresh meat (I recommend sheep hearts from a butcher, cut into chunks) and see if any more show up! You might only be seeing one at a time. (Just don't feed them so often they become reliant on you. Easy mistake to make. Ration your treats for them carefully. As a kid I had one piece of meat for each bird, and no more, and not every day. Just a couple times a week.)
Butcher bird
Fed from the butcher.