Are they dead or just sunbathing? Australian Magpies look ridiculous as they sunbake.

Many species of birds sunbathe, and there is a variety of explanations for this behaviour. The reasons range from warming up on a cold morning, to helping rid themselves of parasites, to warming the preening oil in their feathers so that it can be spread more easily. These adult Australian Magpies were caught sunning themselves on a lawn in the afternoon at Herdsman Lake, near Perth in Western Australia. At first sight they looked dead, lying on the ground in a trance-like state with their beaks gaping to help regulate their body temperature.