(Grallina Cyanloleuca)
Length: 28 cm approx. Common
Magpie-Larks are confined to Australasia although the rare vagrant is found in Tasmania. Also called Mud-Lark, one of the most familiar of Australian birds.
It is found in open areas and usually in pairs. It is distinctively marked in black and white. The thin whitish bill and pale iris separate it from other similar coloured species. The adult male has a white eyebrow and a black face, while the female has an all-white face and no white eyebrow. Young birds have a black forehead, a white eyebrow and a white throat.
Magpie-Larks are found in almost any habitat except rainforests and the driest deserts. They are familiar urban birds. The Magpie-Lark is mostly ground dwelling and is usually seen slowly searching the ground for insects and their larvae as well as earthworms.
Bowl shaped nest composed of mud reinforced with grass. It is lined with feathers and grasses. Generally built on horizontal high branches. Both parents share the incubation duties and care of the young. They aggressively defend their nest and their territory. In favourable conditions more than one brood may be reared in a year.
