Magpies get rid of tracking devices by helping each other

A group of scientists who wanted to study the behavior of magpies and gather more information about them could not achieve their goal because of a social behavior of birds. Although the scientists did not achieve their goal, they made another observation about magpies. The birds got rid of the tracking devices by helping each other.

Magpies, helping each other for free

University of the Sunshine Coast scientists wanted to learn more about the movements and social dynamics of this bird species with a bag-like tracking device on five Australian magpies for a pilot study. They also thought they could test the tracking device they had developed.

The team said they have created a feeding station that can wirelessly charge the tracker’s battery, download data, or remove the tracker and harness from the birds using a magnet. He stated that they were training them to come to the station.

This method, which seemed logical in the thinking stage, resulted in the unexpected behavior of magpies. The team observed that ten minutes after putting on the last tracker, an adult female without a tracker was trying to remove the harness of a younger bird with her beak.

Within hours, other magpies escaped the audience with the help of other magpies. Even the most dominant male magpie in the group allowed another magpie to help him at the end of the third day and was the last survivor of the audience.

Magpies are a species that needs to remove the viewer They stated that they never thought that they could perceive it as a parasite. Saying that these birds are vulnerable to rising temperatures under climate change, the team explained that monitoring is necessary to protect magpies.