The magpie that we mentioned earlier today that was facing death in Tweed Heads, Australia, for attacking passersby has been given a stay of execution! Whoo-hoo!
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy, their son, Desmond Shearwater, and their indoor cat, B.B. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
Good news! However, I am not satisfied with the reasoning. Inspector Jago cited “safety concerns for the public,” but how about “shooting a Magpie for striking someone’s daughter is just wrong?” Maybe he just said what he had to say so as not to jeopardize job security. Good outcome, at least.
I’m surprised relocation wasn’t mooted first. It is a fairly standard tool for the management of problem individuals of this species.