Are you looking at me ?

Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis).

I was at a friend's place today and they had very friendly butcherbirds and magpies that would literally eat our of your hand. This one was sitting on a chair on the other side of the table from me.

View all photos taken: Wednesday, 24th September 2008, This photo: 11:06am

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Comments

  • maasha said:
    Hm, the field of focus is on the whiskers only -> f++... and what is that yellow stuff you fed him?
  • ankewill said:
    This shot is exceptional!!
  • David de Groot said:
    Yeah I know - should have upped the iso and stopped down a bit more.
    The yellow stuff is pollen as he'd been mucking about near some flowers earlier (presumably eating insects).
    Thanks :)
  • misha.w said:
    trying to be scary, but seems more ridiculous!
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  • [ Kane ] said:
    Great shot Dave! might make a good book cover.
  • MichelleLegg.com said:
    Love it!! It looks like he's going to come over and join you!
  • Margot- said:
    No. But you look like the bird of Edgar Allan Poe.
  • David de Groot said:
    misha.w - Thanks Misha, I'm glad you find my photo interesting, but I've had to delete the comment as it contained a huge invite graphic, and I don't do those.
    hehehe funny birds when they're a little more tame than usual.
    And he did!
    hehehe Quite, although that was a Raven rather than a Butcherbird (interestingly though, Butcherbirds tend to be a bit more vicious than ravens).
  • picsbymac said:
    Great shot. I am chuckling at the mix of 'friendly butcherbird'.
  • David de Groot said:
    It is a bit of a dichotomy isn't it ? I've had friends who've lost budgies to these birds before (ate it through the cage - there's a reason they're called butcherbirds).
  • Wes Cooper said:
    Fantastic. Looks like you've caught it in the act of doing something it shouldn't be.
  • David de Groot said:
    Yeah, begging for food from a human instead of catching it's own lunch in the wild ;-)
  • ronnietan15 said:
    intimate! too bad its focused on the nose-hole! i would imagine a mag eating out of hands would be quite painful
  • David de Groot said:
    Yes I was somewhat annoyed at the focus - damn AF.
    As for eating, they're quite delicate and accurate.
  • looby88 said:
    What a well brought up bird, to sit on a chair and eat at the table !!!
    I like these birdie pics, the swallow as well
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Helen. Yes I was quite surprised about these birds behaviour.
  • benefit of hindsight said:
    also a nice portrait :o)
    is it a member of the crow family then?
  • David de Groot said:
    No that'd be Corvus rather than Cracticus. :)
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  • MΛЯK said:
    What a fantastic close up. Love the whiskers.
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Mark. :)
  • benefit of hindsight said:
    yes, that's what I guessed, but it looks distinctly crow-like to me :o))
  • Sr.Pinzas said:
    great portrait!
  • David de Groot said:
    We have a lot of birds like that ;-) (Magpie, butcherbird, currawong, several types of actual crows and ravens, choughs and even the satin bowerbird are all a bit crow like).
    Thanks :)
  • Yorri¢k said:
    what are you gunna do about it pollen face !!!
    we get the friendly ones here too