Magpie-lark: how to recognise it
A bird of Oceania. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Thomas Jaeger · CC BY · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Grallina cyanoleuca
- Family
- Monarch Flycatchers
- Size
- About 27 cm
- Habitat
- Open woodland, farmland and parks
- Found in
- Oceania
The key marks
A pied bird with a black head and throat (male), a white eyebrow, white underparts and a white wing patch, walking on the ground. Restless Flycatcher is smaller, glossy black above with a white throat and no wing patch.
Voice
A ringing 'pee-o-wit', often sung in duet.
Good to know
A pair sings in duet, one bird calling as the other answers, with wings flicking.
Do not confuse with
Compare it with the Restless Flycatcher. Look at the marks above one by one rather than the overall colour, and practise telling the two apart with real photos.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in open woodland, farmland and parks. It is especially common in Australia. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.