Is this normal for Pie? (Silver Magpie)"

[cmart009]

We have our lovely Silver Magpie, Pie. For the past month or so, we've noticed that when he gets ready to "floof" (Our word for when they shake and puff up their feathers to put them all back into place), he stands up tall, pushes out his chest, and whistles!

Is this normal in a Magpie? Sometimes he makes sort of a bullfrog sound too. It's quite hilarious. The only other time he makes these noises is after he gets his time in with the ladies.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have heard that from both my Pekin and Aylesbury drakes - Not so much from the Runners- But it is a common behaviour.

 

[Sweetfolly]

It's a sexual behavior, actually. Perfectly normal. The drakes do that to attract the ladies.

 

[cmart009]

Ah, alright, thank you! My wife and I sort of figured it was something like that. He's a real card sometimes.

 

[jmc]

known as the 'grunt whistle'- actually it is really the 'whistle grunt'-yes, it is a courtship/display/macho duck/prowess thing, as annie said above.
in water, they sometimes flick up water with their bill as they rise up, then they lower their head and swim forward a few feet real low or stride forward several steps on land. looks better on water.............