Subspecies Australian magpie

male of ssp. tyrannica, showing prominent white back



g. tibicen tibicen in sydney



g. tibicen tyrannica on southern victorian coast



male (left) , female (right) tasmanian magpies

there thought 9 subspecies of australian magpie, although there large zones of overlap intermediate forms between taxa. there tendency birds become larger increasing latitude, southern subspecies being larger further north, except tasmanian form small. original form, known black-backed magpie , classified gymnorhina tibicen, has been split 4 black-backed races:

g. tibicen tibicen, nominate form, large subspecies found in southeastern queensland, vicinity of moreton bay through eastern new south wales moruya, new south wales victorian border. coastal or near-coastal , restricted east of great dividing range.
g. tibicen terraereginae, found cape york , gulf country southwards across queensland coast between halifax bay in north , south mary river, , central , western new south wales , northern south australia, small medium-sized subspecies. plumage same of subspecies tibicen, although female has shorter black tip tail. wings , tarsus shorter , bill proportionally longer. described gregory mathews in 1912, subspecies name latin translation, terra land reginae queen s of queensland . hybridisation large white-backed subspecies tyrannica occurs in northern victoria , southeastern new south wales; intermediate forms have black bands of varying sizes in white-backed area. three-way hybridisation occurs between bega , batemans bay on new south wales south coast.
g. tibicen eylandtensis, top end magpie, found kimberley in northern western australia, across northern territory through arnhem land , groote eylandt , gulf country. small subspecies long , thinner bill, birds of groote eylandt possibly smaller mainland birds. has narrow black terminal tailband, , narrow black band; male has large white nape, female pale grey. form described h. l. white in 1922. intergrades subspecies terraereginae southeast of gulf of carpentaria.
g. tibicen longirostris, long-billed magpie, found across northern western australia, shark bay pilbara. named in 1903 alex milligan, medium-sized subspecies long thin bill. milligan speculated bill may have been adapted local conditions, slim fare meaning birds had pick @ dangerous scorpions , spiders. there broad area of hybridisation western dorsalis in southern central western australia shark bay south murchison river , east great victoria desert.


western magpie female. plumage @ nape starker white in males

the white-backed magpie, described gymnorhina hypoleuca john gould in 1837, has been split races:

g. tibicen tyrannica, large white-backed form found twofold bay on new south wales far south coast, across southern victoria south of great dividing range through coorong in southeastern south australia. first described schodde , mason in 1999. has broad black tail band.
g. tibicen telonocua, found cowell south eyre , yorke peninsulas in southern south australia, southwestern gawler ranges. described schodde , mason in 1999, subspecific name anagram of leuconota white-backed . similar tyrannica, differing in having shorter wing , being lighter , smaller overall. bill relatively short compared other magpie subspecies. intermediate forms found in mount lofty ranges , on kangaroo island.


g. tibicen hypoleuca refers small white-backed subspecies short compact bill , short wings, found on king , flinders islands, tasmania.


the western magpie, g. tibicen dorsalis described separate species a. j. campbell in 1895 , found in fertile south-west corner of western australia. adult male has white , closely resembles subspecies telonocua, though little larger longer bill , black tip of tail plumage narrower. female unusual in has scalloped black or brownish-black mantle , back; dark feathers there edged white. area appears more uniform black plumage ages , edges worn away. both sexes have black thighs.
the new guinean magpie, g. tibicen papuana, little-known subspecies found in southern new guinea. adult male has white narrow black stripe, , female blackish back; black feathers here tipped white similar subspecies dorsalis. has long deep bill resembling of subspecies longirostris. genetically closely related western lineage of australian magpies comprising subspecies dorsalis, longirostris , eylandtensis, suggesting ancestors occupied in savannah country land bridge between new guinea , australia , submerged around 16,500 years ago.




^ higgins et al., p. 622.
^ cite error: named reference hig579 invoked never defined (see page).
^ higgins et al., p. 620.
^ higgins et al., p. 621.
^ cite error: named reference hig580 invoked never defined (see page).
^ higgins et al., p. 624.
^ kaplan, p. 7.
^ kaplan, p. 6.
^ higgins et al., p. 623.
^ black, (1986). taxonomic affinity of new guinean magpie gymnorhina tibicen papuana . emu. 86 (2): 65–70. doi:10.1071/mu9860065. 
^ toon, alicia; drew, alex; mason, ian j.; hughes, jane m.; joseph, leo (2017). relationships of new guinean subspecies, gymnorhina tibicen papuana, of australian magpie: assessment dna sequence data . emu. 117: 1–11. doi:10.1080/01584197.2017.1324249.