Magpie-larks are quite striking to look at, with their clear black-and-white markings and their strangely light-coloured eyes. This one caught my attention because it had captured a large insect and was making a good meal of it. The insect is an interesting yellowish pink colour. I think it’s a cicada, most likely the yellow variation of a Green Grocer cicada:

The name Magpie-lark is rather confusing. This bird isn’t a magpie or a lark. I guess the “magpie” part of the name comes from the black and white colouring. I don’t know where the “lark” part comes from.

Evidently Magpie-larks, like their namesake magpies, do swoop at humans to protect their territory. Luckily that hasn’t happened to me yet.

This bird is a male. It has a black throat, whereas the female has a white throat.

Common name: Magpie-lark, also called a Peewee or a Mudlark
Scientific name: Grallina cyanoleuca
Approximate length: 30 cm
Date spotted: 5 January 2024 (summer)
Location: Manly Dam National Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’35.5″S 151°14’50.3″E