Many years ago there was a rejected young magpie which we supplemented with minced beef. We noticed that as a ‘teenager’, it had protracted tussles with other magpies the same age. One evening it appeared with half of its upper mandible missing. For a few days it ate awkwardly until it was used to the new shape then we noticed it was able to pick up insects by holding its head sideways on the ground. Very soon it was good at spearing some meat with the lower mandible and tossing it into the air and catching the food. After a while it only came to us occasionally and finally disappeared about 18 months later.
Glenise Moors Sedgwick
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