The jackdaw of Rheims becomes the magpie of Timaru

Press, 13 February 1982, Page 15

The jackdaw of Rheims becomes the magpie of Timaru

By

DOUG HODGE

The Jackdaw of Rheims. who was given plenary absolution after the theft of the Lord Cardinal's ring and canonized by the name of Jem Crow ("The Ingoldsby Legends”), had a propensity for glittering objects. So much so, that: Till. when nobody's dreaming of any such thing, That little Jackdaw hops

off with the ring! Mr lan Ross, of 2 Prestonn Street. Timaru, has a whitebacked (male) magpie, Percy, an .uncommon name for a member of the Cracticidae family. A fledgling, and a waif when he was picked up on the roadside. Percy has, like the Jackdaw of Rheims, grown:

, . Sleek and fat. In addition to that

A fresh crop of feathers came Thick as a mat! His tail waggled more Even than before ... Percy feeds on insects and worms. He has been hand-fed for more than eight years, served mince, dog food, garlic leaf and grass — “as long as it is pulled for him,” said Mr Ross. The magpie is partial to beer. As a special treat he receives a little lamb’s fry., Unlike other members of his species, which generally frequent tall trees. Percy lives in a cage inside the house. Percy cages himself at night, and Mr Ross closes the door. In the morning the bird

lets himself out of his cage by unfolding the clip. Of a friendly disposition, he is very much a “ground" bird. During the day he has the run of the section, but he spends most of his time perched on top of the watering can. Then he goes walkabout, scavenging for grubs, snails and insects. He enjoys a ride on the handlebars of a bicycle, on which he often is taken round the block. A source of embarrassment to the Ross family is Percy’s “wolf’ -whistling. His is a fine call, full of melody. He whistles “God Save the Queen.” — “the first five bars are very good.” said Mr Ross — and a bit of "Scotland the Brave." But Percy is a creature of moods. He has his likes and dislikes. He has been discouraged from pulling the pegs off the clothes-line. “Percy knows when he is in the wrong and he sulks." Mr Ross said. “He is a proper character." he said. Percy is adverse to cats, but is quite at home among fantails and bellbirds and other birds which have made the residential property their habitat. Percy rules the roost and. as far as can be ascertained, he has shown no interest in the grey-backed female of his species. Mr and Mrs Ross have a Labrador dog answering to the Persian name of Beltechazzar, with which Percy is friendly. He is suspicious of a 12-year-old turtle — an “overstayer” — in a tub. the turtle was found on Piha Beach. Among Percy’s feathered friends, and about three years and a half the magpie’s senior, is a budgerigar. Percy is not aggressive, and although he is wary of strangers and distrustful- of their motives, he does not dive-bomb them in the manner of magpies jealously guarding their nesting places. His is a sheltered life.