Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
General description:
Black-billed Magpies are members of the Corvidae family which includes crows, ravens, jays and nutcrackers. They are one of the most common and easily recognizable birds at Camas NWR. This bird is larger than a jay and smaller than a crow, with a long black tail. It has tuxedo-like markings. Head, back and breast are black, and it has a white patch on the wings and the belly is white. The wings and lower back show iridescent blue-green in the right light. The bill and feet are black and sexes are similar although the male may be slightly larger.
Black-billed Magpies can be found year-round from southern Alaska to northern Arizona, east to the Dakotas and west to eastern California.
Behavior and Habitat
I can’t think of a native bird (starlings are not native) that is more hampered by a reputation as a brazen pest than our very own Black-billed Magpie.
Some of their reputation is deserved, as magpie mischief includes: Noisiness. Their harsh squawks and caws are certainly not melodic like a meadow lark. Thievery. At my previous residence, magpies could empty the dogfood bowl faster than my golden retriever. Messiness. They defecate on everything, not an endearing characteristic. Murder. They are nest predators on eggs. In some areas their predation can seriously limit production of birds such as ducks. They have also been accused of pecking at the eyes of newborn calves. Mob Mentality. As social birds, they often wreak the above mayhem en masse.
Members of the Corvid family are considered the most intelligent birds in the world. This conclusion was reached in part because Corvids have the largest cerebral hemispheres, in relation to body size, of all birds. They are well known for their dexterity in opening latches (crows in Yellowstone National Park have learned to open the storage pockets on snowmobiles to steal the lunches inside) and untying knots. Captive crows have been taught to read clocks and to count.
One of the reasons magpies get a bad rap is that they are food generalists. They will eat nearly anything so everything is fair game including many things humans don’t want them to eat. On the positive side, they are important scavengers and eat lots of rodents and insects. However, there is no evidence to support the rumor that they are wanton songbird killers.
As social birds, magpies have developed a defense mechanism called mobbing. Groups of magpies will attack predators such as owls, hawks and coyotes and harass them into retreat. Parent magpies begin teaching this behavior to their young just as soon as the young are able to fly.
Research at Idaho State University has revealed another magpie behavior that demonstrates intelligence. Parent magpies actually move some of their eggs to adjacent magpie nests. The
theory behind this behavior is that if their nest is destroyed, some of their offspring may still survive.
Black-billed Magpies mate for life and construct elaborate nests that may take up to 40 days to build. Pairs work together, with the male concentrating on the outside and the female prepping the inside. You can readily identify magpie nests: They are large, about 20 inches wide and 30 inches high, and always have a roof or dome constructed of twigs.
Similar Species
There is a yellow-billed magpie that is very similar to the black-billed magpie but it only lives in California. You shouldn’t be able to confuse our magpie with any other bird.
Cool Facts
Not all cultures believe magpies to be nuisance. In fact, in Korea, they are considered to be the bringers of good news. In various parts of China, the magpie is a symbol of happiness, considered to bring good luck or even considered sacred.
According to Cornell’s All About Birds website, the longest-living Black-billed Magpie on record was at least 9 years, 4 months old and lived in Idaho.
Historical records of the American West indicate that Black-billed Magpies have been associates of people for a long time. Magpies frequently followed hunting parties of Plains Indians and fed on leftovers from bison kills. On their expedition, Lewis and Clark reported magpies boldly entering their tents to steal food.
When and where found at Camas NWR:
You can find magpies virtually anywhere on the Refuge. They are attracted to carrion and you may see a large flock if there is a winter-killed rabbit, deer or elk around.
Threatened/Endangered Status: Least Concern
“Black-billed Magpies populations have been decreasing every year from 1966 to 2014, particularly on prairies, resulting in a cumulative decline by about 26%, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population at 5.4 million, with 63% spending part of the year in the U.S., and 50% in Canada. They rate a 7 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score and they are not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. They have been vulnerable to toxic chemicals, particularly topical pesticides applied to the backs of cattle which magpies ingest when gleaning ticks off livestock. In the past Black-billed Magpies were persecuted by farmers, ranchers, and game managers who considered them to be vermin, but today they are fully protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.” www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-billed_Magpie/lifehistory
Text by Terry Thomas
Photos by Terry Thomas