Australian Birds, Magpie, has anybody ever seen this behaviour?

[Judith of the Never Never]

We live in the burbs, we have been feeding mummy Magpie for about 7 years and more chicks than I can count. She seems to be fooling us and coming onto back deck rail and getting fed, really bloody well I may add, but lately, we have noticed her seemingly stashing meat in leaf litter in nasty neighbours gutters! I never thought they did this, has anybody out there in Australia have any information on this behaviour? (ps, if we don't feed her she attacks the postman, the loud woman 2 doors up and the school kids that pass twice a day in their droves heading for the local primary & high schools, so please don't criticise me for feeding a native bird)

 

[Hayley]

Magpies often store food in little hiding places for their chicks to get later. They store it up then take it back to their nests to feed their chicks.