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My Mums lawn is covered with pulled up bits of moss/grass. We know the culprits are a pair of Magpies, we see them there all the time, pecking and throwing bits of grass or moss about. They are very vigorous about it and they never seem to take away the fruits of their labours, I thought it might be nest-building material, but it seems not.

Any ideas please?

Actually the usual culprits for the actual lawn damage is done by chafer beetle grubs that feast with grass roots. Magpies have spotted the grubs and pull up the now almost rootless turf to get the 'yummy' treats that are lurking in the top soil.
So..so those grubs that magpies don't catch, they will appear end of may- begining of June as adult flying beetles and start their life cycle again by mating and laying the eggs into grass roots... ::)
As a 'good' news..magpies are doing great job by reducing the grub population..and providing plenty of material for lining hanging baskets.. ::)

And scarifying the lawn!?

 ;D..yes..you could say the magpies are scarifying it.. ::)..but what you normally see happening is more like total removal of the top layers.. ::)

A tad over enthusiastic then!

They probably need to be to get the grubs out.

We don't have magpies but the crows do it here and it is definately the grubs they are after.

XX Jeannine