It is Spring in Australia and the time when magpie chicks are born and the fathers become very protective and swoop at anything that ventures into their territory. Good dads! Just like the dads of the children I teach, very protective and defensive. There have been two new picture books about magpies enter the library recently so I thought now would be a good time to showcase them.
• Swoop by Nicole Godwin and Susannah Crispe is a new title from CSIRO Publishing. Here's the blurb:
Magpie has one job, one desire, one purpose: KEEP THE EGGS SAFE.
Always on alert for danger, will Magpie's determination be enough when rock-carrying intruders arrive?
Why do magpies swoop and why do we have such a fascination with them? Discover more about these clever, cheeky and charming songbirds through this delightful book.
• The Story of Swoop by Matt Owens and Emma Gustafson
This true life story is from New Zealand.
Heart-warming internet sensation! A true story of animal rescue and release. When firefighter Matt stopped to rescue a lost magpie chick, a very special friendship unfolded. Swoop the magpie soon became part of Matt's family, along with Mogli the cat. But where are her feathered friends?
Then look for these too:
• Mad Magpie by Gregg Dreise
• Magpie Mischief by June Peka and Jo Thapa
• Harry's Hat by Kerry Kitzelman
• Waddle Giggle Gargle! by Pamela Allen
• Magpie Learns a Lesson by Sally Morgan and Tania Erzinger
• Fox by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks
• The Naughty Magpie by Eleanor Nillson and Susy Boyer (Aussie Nibble)
If you can find a copy of The Windmill at Magpie Creek by Christobel Mattingley (book or children's film) this is a good discussion starter on how to arm yourself against these defiant birds.
And the Conversations episode last week was all about magpies and swooping and the science of this. Sarah Kanowski interviewed Darryl Jones and they talked about his research and his book Curlews on Vulture Street: Cities, Birds, People and Me. Magpies can remember faces but at luckily not all magpies swoop.
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