Australian Magpie, Laratinga Wetlands

Male Australian Magpie, Laratinga Wetlands

The Laratinga Wetlands do not just make a good environment for a large number of waterbirds. The habitat surrounding the various ponds is very suitable for a range of other species, including many honeyeaters, pigeons, parrots, fairy-wrens, corvids (eg ravens), swallows, woodswallows and the ubiquitous Australian Magpie as shown in today's photos.

The area around the ponds has a natural creek bed with associated eucalypt forest trees as well as a range of smaller shrubs such as acacias (wattles). The walking tracks around the ponds have been planted up with many other local native plants species as well, making the whole area very attractive.

The Australian Magpie, one of the bird species commonly encountered in such environments, is right at home in such a habitat. The vegetation provides an ample food supply, a ready supply of nesting materials and plenty of places to build their nests. The photo above shows a male in full breeding plumage, while the one below shows one with something in its beak - perhaps a worm or a caterpillar.

The final photo shows the picnic area next to the wetlands. Laratinga Wetlands are near Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, about a half hour drive from Adelaide.

For more photos of and articles about Australian birds, visit my other site Trevor's Birding.

Australian Magpie (male)

Barbecue and picnic area, Laratinga Wetlands