Australian magpies are from 37 to 43 cm long. They do not have very long tails like European magpies. They are mostly black, with white on the back of their necks, and under their tails. They have white on their wings that can be seen when they are flying. An adult magpie has red eyes, black legs, and a white beak with black tip. Young magpies have brown eyes and their chest feathers are less dark. There are nine kinds of magpies (subspecies or races) in different parts of the country. Some subspecies have black backs and some have white.