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What the centre reported about magpie admissions
PerthNow/Mandurah Times reported on 23 April 2025 that Mandurah Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre had admitted 42 magpies between January and April 2024, and 15 so far in 2025. The report said many of the birds showed nutritional deficiencies, deformities and emaciation that the centre attributed to being fed mince. The 2025 figure is as of the report’s publication date.
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These are admissions to one rehabilitation centre, reported by local media—not independently audited counts or evidence of a community-wide disease rate. The report quoted centre board member Jerry Hoekman: “Feeding magpies mince might feel like a small act of kindness but the reality is it can set off a chain of health problems, especially for chicks.” PerthNow/Mandurah Times, 23 April 2025
Why the centre says not to feed mince or bread
The centre warns that mince lacks calcium and other nutrients important for bone development. Chicks can be especially vulnerable when adult birds bring them food. Hoekman told PerthNow/Mandurah Times: “Mince lacks calcium and other vital nutrients needed for strong bone development and we’re seeing the fallout of that firsthand.” The centre also identifies bread as harmful and advises against feeding it to magpies.
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This is the centre’s practical guidance and account of the birds it treats, not the result of a controlled study establishing that mince causes every illness in wild magpies. Its article on young magpies explains the centre’s concerns and recommends allowing birds to feed naturally. Mandurah Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, “Saving Young Magpies” Mandurah Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, “Minced Meat kills Magpies”
What to do if a young magpie is on the ground
A young bird on the ground may be a fledgling, not an abandoned chick. Mandurah Wildlife says fledglings spend about two weeks on the ground as they learn to forage and strengthen their wings, while adults remain nearby. Avoid taking a young bird away simply because it is not flying; observe from a distance and give its parents room to care for it.
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If the bird appears sick or injured, contact a qualified wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian for advice specific to your location. Do not try to treat or rehabilitate it yourself based on general guidance. Mandurah Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, “Saving Young Magpies”
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The centre’s preferred approach is to let wild birds find their own food. You can make a garden more useful to them by supporting natural foraging rather than offering substitute food:
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- Grow locally appropriate native vegetation, including grevilleas and bottlebrushes, which can support insects for birds to forage.
- Provide a fresh supply of water.
- Do not offer mince or bread.
These are habitat suggestions from Mandurah Wildlife, not experimentally ranked interventions. Check that plants suit your local conditions. Mandurah Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, “Saving Young Magpies”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.WA neurological cases are a separate concern
Reports of nutritional problems linked by the centre to mince feeding should not be conflated with neurological cases in Western Australian magpies. Wildlife Health Australia says the investigation into a neurological syndrome in WA is ongoing, and the available evidence does not confirm that it is the same syndrome reported in black-and-white birds in eastern Australia. Its cause and relationship to that syndrome have not been established. Wildlife Health Australia, “Incident – Neurological syndrome in magpies, Western Australia – ongoing”
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