A group of Australian magpies have outsmarted scientists.

Sunshine Coast University researchers planned to follow magpies using tiny backpack trackers which they thought could only be removed with scissors.

But the magpies removed each other’s tracking devices.

Bird expert Grainne Cleary told Ben Fordham their altruism was on display.

“This means they did another member of their group a favour without any immediate award.”

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Image: Getty