Understand and appreciate the magpies that live around you. This episode is all about magpies and their behaviour, with a focus on a subspecies that lives in Perth and other parts of Western Australia.

Mandy Ridley is an Avian Ecologist and Associate Professor of the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Western Australia. Mandy's research on birds began at Cambridge University in the UK, where she completed her PhD on the evolution of birds' cooperative breeding behaviours. This research involved living in the Kalahari Desert for for at least six months of the year... for ten years! She even raised her first son there. In 2012, Mandy moved to Perth and began studying Western Australian Magpies. In total, Mandy has been conducting avian research for over 24 years and she still loves it!

Links:

* Babbler Research (Mandy's website) - www.babbler-research.com

* Mandy on Twitter - @mandy_ridley

* BirdLife Australia - Australian Magpie - birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/australian-magpie/

* Australian Magpie recording by Eddy Smith (XC747690) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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