Mussolini magpie

Well, I don't think I have ever observed one of our native magpies with such a tyrannical, intimidating, subjugating personality as this character.

 

I'm assuming a dominant male, given his size. Strutting and puffing up and letting any other bird who gets within several feet of him know who is boss.

 

So I've nick-named him Mussolini after the charismatic, but highly controversial Italian dictator.

 

Here I photographed him from underneath when he was on a high lookout, surveying his territory beneath him. True dictator style.

 

These native Australian birds are commonly called magpies but are not within Corvidae like true magpies, crows etc. They are in family Artamidae.

 

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