An adult Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) collects insects for its recently-fledged offspring. Australian Magpies are predominantly a ground-foraging species. Their keen sense of hearing allows them to locate worms, insects and insect larvae under the ground, often from several metres away. Plunging their strong beak into the ground to retrieve their prey, or deftly picking the target off leaves and stems, they can carry several morsels in their beak and still continue to retrieve more without dropping their existing catch. This ability allows them to maximize efficiency by collecting more food without having to return to the young birds after every individual catch. #birds #nature #Australia #myphoto