Hi there,
We have a pair of Magpie Larks that regularly visit our yard.
Both bathe in our birdbath,hunt for food on the grass and (anthropomorphism alert !) in general just seem to enjoy their time here & I've assumed they are a couple.
The male has what is easiest to describe as a scrunched up foot.
A few years ago we had a female Magpie Lark with a similar looking affliction who brought her offspring to the bath & to hang around in our yard.
My query is how long is their lifespan?
Would the 2 possibly be related?
Is it likely the scrunched up foot is inherited?
Well, I know they live beyond six years as there was a pair that lived at my work location in Sydney, I left that location two years back so not sure if they are still there.
They are lovely little birds with strong characters, I used to feed that pair and one day they brought two chicks just out of the nest to "show off" to me. If I went out of the office and said "Where's PeeWee" they would come if in ear shot.
Like the larger Australian Magpie they have a denfined territory and use the same nesting site each season, sometimes they quite often breed twice in one year.
The scrunched up foot sounds like they had their foot caught in something or have been grabbed by a Currawong or Raven, could be genetic, wait and see if the offspring have same.