OH NO! A New STUDY Has Found That MAGPIES Can’t Look After Their BABIES During HEATWAVES
Magpies might have a reputation for being Australia’s biggest native menace, but they’re also being seriously impacted by climate change. New research from @universitywa has found that during heatwaves with temperatures as low as 32-33°C, magpie chicks have a survival rate of just 10%. These temperatures give the magpies heatstress, affecting their ability to forage for food and care for their young. You might not know it from looking around at all the magpies swooping about, but this is because magpies can live up to 20 years old. So all the magpies you see are adults born over a decade ago, with no new chicks to replace them!