Analysis of hybridization between Black-backed and White-backed Magpies in South-eastern Australia

Abstract

A method for quantitative analysis of the variation in dorsal patterns of magpies was developed. Several transects across the zone between fully black-backed and fully white-backed Magpies in Victoria and south-eastern New South Wales were made and the dorsal patterns of all adult birds seen were recorded. The phenomenon is best interpreted as a zone of overlap with hybridizatlon. Further data are needed to elucidate the dynamics of this zone; in particular, it is not clear whether the zone is stationary or moving southward.