Beaky the magpie: Nicholls house on the market with a friendly neighbour you wouldn’t expect 

If magpies were frequent visitors at your home, would you be a friend or foe?

For one home owner at 13/49-51 Freda Bennett Circuit, Nicholls, being friends with these Australian icons has been a home-life highlight, but now Jane Smith* is putting her home on the market and hopes that the new owners will love and care for the birds as much as she did.

It all started on Boxing Day 2019 when smoke from nearby Australian bushfires created a blanket of smog across the capital. 

“It was quite a tough period for Australians and at the time, the community initiative Water for Wildlife was up and running so we put out a bunch of bowls with fresh water around for different animals,” Ms Smith said.

“We saw a magpie family out the front garden and we thought one of the birds, who we named Beaky, had a bent beak. After a couple of days visiting us, Beaky’s beak actually fell off.”

Ms Smith reached out to the local animal sanctuary to ask how to best treat the bird. While catching the bird was the first answer, Ms Smith wasn’t able to, so she bought the recommended food supplements to feed them.

“We bought Wombaroo, a special mix for magpies and were told not to feed the birds mince, which was the likely cause of her beak breaking,” Ms Smith said.

Since then, Beaky and her fellow entourage visit the two-bedroom townhouse three to four times a week, even the neighbours feed Beaky the recommended supplements.

“We know she is doing OK, as her family also supports her – three males and another female,” Ms Smith said.

“Featherhead, a male with a tiny white feather on top, is very polite. Greedy, another male, is, obviously, greedy and Beaky’s parents also pop by occasionally and forage in the garden.”

Every now and then Ms Smith would hear their calls from her kitchen or lounge room and she’ll come out and give them some snacks – a fond afternoon activity she said she’ll miss.

“We certainly hope the new owners will have a relationship with Beaky and leave some snacks and water out for her,” Ms Smith said.

“It’s true that magpies will remember you and I hope I’ve left a good impression.”

*A pseudonym was used as the seller wished to remain anonymous.

Nicholls

View property