Magpie

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Soroka

The magpie, also known as the common magpie or, as it is sometimes called the European magpie, is a fairly well-known bird from the corvid family of the passerine order. With its name, it also gave the name to the genus of magpies, which also includes some exotic species that are similar to ordinary magpies in body structure, but differ from them in bright and variegated colors. The Latin name of the species is Pica pica. The closest relatives of these birds are crows and jays.

The time of origin of magpies and their separation from other corvids is not known for certain. The earliest fossil records of corvid-like birds date back to the Middle Miocene and are about 17 million years old. They were discovered on the territory of modern France and Germany. From this we can assume that the division of the family into species occurred much later.

Video: Magpie

Now ornithologists proceed from the assumption that magpies as a species appeared in Europe, and gradually spread across Eurasia, and then in the late Pleistocene they entered the territory of modern North America through the Bering Strait. However, fossils were found in Texas that were more reminiscent of the modern European magpie than the Californian subspecies, so there was a version that the common magpie could have appeared as a species already in the Pliocene, that is, about 2-5 million years ago, but in any case not earlier this time.

Today, at least 10 subspecies of magpie are known. Distinctive features of common magpies are their long tail and black and white coloration.

What are male magpies called?

A male magpie has found food for himself.
Like most wild birds, the “magpie” has a single name without distinguishing between female and male. Therefore, to indicate gender in Russian, the phrases “female magpie” and “male magpie” are used.

The magpie chick is called “magpie”, and in the plural – “magpie”.

Appearance and features

Photo: Magpie Bird

The color of the magpie is unique, and therefore it is well recognized by many. The entire plumage is black and white. The bird's head, neck, back and chest and tail are black with a metallic, sometimes bluish tint, tint and shine, especially evident in the sun's rays. At the same time, the belly, sides and shoulders of the magpie are white. Sometimes it happens that the tips of the wings are also painted white. Because of their characteristic white coloration, magpies are often called “white-sided magpies.”

Magpies can be up to 50 cm in length, but more often about 40-45 cm. The wingspan is 50-70 cm, in some cases up to 90 cm, but this is an exception rather than commonplace. The tail is quite long, almost 25 cm, which is almost half the length of the entire bird, stepped and quite mobile. Females and males do not differ in appearance, as they have the same color and the same size.

There is still a difference, and it consists in the fact that the males are slightly heavier, but this is not visually noticeable from the outside. The average male weighs about 230 grams, while the average female weighs approximately 200 grams. The bird's head is quite small, the beak is slightly curved and very strong, which is typical for all corvids.

The paws are of medium length, but very thin, four-toed. It moves along the ground in forty leaps and bounds, and simultaneously on both legs. The tail is held up. A gait like that of crows or pigeons is not typical for magpies. In flight, the bird prefers to glide, so the magpie's flight looks heavy and undulating. It is sometimes called "diving". During its flight, the magpie spreads its wings wide and spreads its tail, so it looks very beautiful, and its shape even resembles birds of paradise.

The loud chirping of a magpie is very characteristic. Its sound is very recognizable, and therefore it is difficult to confuse it with any other bird call.

About the birds of Russia for primary schoolchildren. Magpie

The magpie is somewhat smaller in size than the crow. Its head, wings and tail are black, with a greenish tint, and its belly is white. The tail is long, stepped, and serves as a magpie's rudder and balance during sudden movements on the ground and in flight.

Magpies prefer forest edges, bushes in floodplains, groves, gardens, parks, and tree plantations along railroad tracks. They willingly settle in the neighborhood of humans, and where they are left undisturbed, they become unusually trusting and even intrusive.

At the end of February, before breeding, magpies behave noisily, chase each other, spread their tails like a fan, and dance. However, magpies do not fly very well, preferring to jump from place to place.

In March, magpies begin to build new nests or repair old ones. The nest of this bird is usually located in dense thickets at a height of 2-3 m from the ground. It is well hidden from prying eyes, made of large twigs on the outside and thinner twigs on the inside, intertwined with blades of grass and held together with clay. The tray is also cemented with clay and is a hard, deep bowl-bed for eggs, covered with moss, soft grass, and wool. The top and sides of the tray are covered with a layer of thorny twigs, which form a roof, giving the nest a spherical shape. The entrance to the nest is located on the side. This arrangement of the house protects the female sitting on the eggs, and subsequently the chicks, from the invasion of predators. Through the loose walls of the nest, the female can notice the danger in time. A false nest is built close to the real one, in which the male is located when the female sits on the eggs.

Magpies lay 7-8 green eggs dotted with brown spots. The parents carefully feed the chicks with insects, snails and worms. The attachment of parents to their cubs is extremely strong.

In autumn and especially in winter, magpies can often be found on the outskirts of cities and towns. They move gracefully along the ground in small steps, raising their tails and wagging their heads with each step. There are many figurative expressions about magpies that reflect one or another of its features. For example, the definition of “white-sided magpie” does not require explanation, but the epithet “thief” is associated with the fact that the magpie is partial to unfamiliar, especially shiny objects. There are known cases when magpies grabbed metal spoons, keys and other things and flew away with them to then hide them somewhere in a secluded place. It is also clear why they say “talkative like a magpie” or “jumps like a magpie.”

Where does the magpie live?

Photo: Magpie animal

The habitats of magpies are mostly located in Eurasia, with the exception of its northeastern part, but there is an isolated population in Kamchatka. Magpies are found throughout Europe from Spain and Greece to the Scandinavian Peninsula. These birds are absent only from some of the islands in the Mediterranean Sea. In Asia, birds settle south of 65° north latitude, and closer to the east, the northern border of the magpie’s habitat gradually retreats south to 50° north latitude.

Birds inhabit the northern parts of Africa, very close to Europe, to a limited extent - mainly the coastal regions of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. In the Western Hemisphere, magpies are found only in North America, in its western regions from Alaska to California.

Typical habitats for magpies are open spaces suitable for foraging for food. But at the same time, they must be near trees or bushes so that they can build a large nest. Very rare in large forests. The Magpie can be considered a typical resident of rural areas. She loves to settle in the vicinity of meadows and fields, surrounded by bushes and forest belts. But magpies are also found in city parks and alleys, which is associated with a simpler search for food in cities in winter conditions in the form of waste and food leftovers. Sometimes birds settle along highways or railways.

Magpies never leave their homes for long. Yes, sometimes they can gather in small flocks and move from a village or field to a small town for the winter to make it easier to find food, but all this happens within one region, and the distance of movement does not exceed ten kilometers. This is too little compared to other birds that travel significant distances with the changing seasons. Therefore, magpies are sedentary birds and not migratory.

Signs associated with magpies

Photo of a magpie soaring in the sky
The image of a magpie is found in the cultures of many nations. For some, this bird represents happiness, wealth and success, for others it is a harbinger of bad news and trouble.

The magpie gained notoriety back in the days of Noah's Ark, when the bird did not fly onto the ship with all the other animals, but remained on the roof. The bird showed a complex character, not obeying other people's rules. The magpie is credited with negative qualities - a thief, a liar, a chatterbox. Many sayings are associated with this black and white bird.

Beautiful magpie among green grass

This is how gossipers are called “cracking like a magpie,” and when talking about where a person learned about some news, they say “a magpie brought it on its tail.”

Despite the numerous unpleasant characteristics, most of the signs associated with the appearance of these birds still have a positive context.

A bird flew onto the balcony - a sign that does not bode well. The house will be calm, no scandals or quarrels.
A magpie flew into the house and chirped - good news awaits the family.
A magpie flew into the yard or settled in the garden - the owners will face financial difficulties.
A magpie circling over the house is a sign that signifies the onset of a dark streak in life.
A magpie sat on the window, it jumps and chirps - a person will find himself in the center of gossip and intrigue.
Two magpies are sitting in front of the house - guests should be expected.
A flock of magpies flying overhead foreshadows a wedding.
It is a bad omen if a bird knocks on the window - it brought bad news, perhaps one of the relatives will die soon.
The magpie knocked on the window and flew away - a sign promising that all adversity will bypass the house.

What does a magpie eat?

Photo: Magpie in the forest

In fact, the magpie is an omnivorous bird. She can eat grains and seeds in the fields, peck insects and parasites from the wool of grazing cattle or large wild animals, and willingly eat worms, caterpillars and larvae, having learned to dig them out of the ground. In agricultural areas, magpies are not liked because they spoil the harvest, for example, they peck at cucumbers, apples, and in the southern regions also watermelons and melons.

In times of famine, they do not disdain carrion and garbage in city garbage dumps. They willingly eat the contents of feeders, including bread, nuts, grains or other plant foods left there. They can easily steal bones from dogs. But usually, other things being equal, magpies still try to eat animal food.

In addition to insects, their diet includes:

Small rodents;
Frogs;
Snails;
Small lizards;
Chicks of other birds;
Eggs from other people's nests.

If the size of the prey turns out to be large, then the magpie eats it in parts, breaking off pieces of meat with its powerful beak and holding the rest of the meal with its paws. Birds living in bushes or open fields especially suffer from the predatory actions of magpies - partridges, larks, quails and some other birds, into whose nests magpies climb during the nesting season in order to steal eggs or eat hatched chicks.

Interesting fact: the magpie buries excess food in the ground as reserves in case of famine. At the same time, the bird’s intelligence allows it to quickly find its hiding place. Unlike magpies, neither squirrels nor thrifty small rodents can repeat this.

Lifestyle

Magpie is a cautious bird. She is afraid of dense forests, and therefore, when nesting, she chooses only safe territory. Magpies like to settle close to human habitations. They also chose small copses, forest plantations, gardens, parks and dense alleys. Birds of this type desperately protect their own tree with a nest from their relatives. This is due to the fact that competition for good living space is very high.

The magpie is a bird that can build interesting and complex nests. The basis for them is thick branches, and the outer part is coated with clay with the addition of grass. Inside, magpies line the nest with thin twigs. The bird uses the same materials to create a roof over its own home. Basically, it is done in order to camouflage itself from the attacks of predators.

The magpie is a bird with a rather mean character. She can easily leave for another partner with better living space, thereby betraying the male. Scientists were able to record that the offspring of such individuals are more viable and numerous than those of the faithful magpies.

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There are known situations where magpies lived to be 30 years old, and at the same time they were provided with excellent living conditions. Under normal conditions, these birds live a little less. The average lifespan of a magpie is 15 years.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Magpie in flight

Magpies live in small flocks of 5-7 birds, less often alone. Group living is very beneficial for them from a safety point of view. The magpie warns of the approach of enemies or any suspicious living creatures by chirping, which other birds and even animals, such as bears, have learned to understand. That is why, when hunters appear, animals often run away only when they hear a magpie. The peculiarity of magpies is that they are paired, and form pairs for life.

Two birds always participate in the construction of nests. The nest is laid in a spherical shape with an entrance in the side and an adjacent clay tray. Clay and hard branches, along with leaves, are used to build walls and roofs, and branches are specially used for the roof. The insides of the nest are lined with straw, dry grass, roots and scraps of wool. During the breeding season, one pair can build several nests, but in the end they choose one. Abandoned nests are then inhabited by other birds, for example, owls, kestrels, and sometimes animals, for example, squirrels or martens.

Despite its sedentary lifestyle, compared to other corvids, the magpie is a very mobile and active bird. It is characterized by daily movements. She rarely stops for a long time in one place and constantly jumps from one branch to another, flies over long distances, searches bushes and trees in search of other people's nests and food. Leads a purely diurnal lifestyle.

The magpie has a good memory, and is also considered one of the most intelligent among all birds. Although she is very curious, she is also very cautious and able to avoid traps. The bird easily learns, masters new skills and quickly adapts to a changing environment. Zoologists have also discovered elaborate sequential actions and social rituals in magpies.

There are suggestions that magpies are even familiar with the expression of sadness. It is well known that these birds are partial to shiny objects, which they steal from people every now and then or pick up on the roads. It is interesting that thefts never occur openly, and before stealing an object, birds always first make sure that they are not in danger.

Interesting fact: today the magpie is the only bird that is able to recognize itself in the mirror, and not think that there is another individual in front of it.

Interesting Facts

Photo of a magpie looking into the distance

Magpie - able to recognize herself in the mirror.
The entrance to the magpie's nest faces south to keep the home warmer.
The magpie builds up to 8 nests, and then chooses the best one from them.
Extra nests are needed to distract predators.
In the Middle Ages, church ministers believed that magpies personified evil spirits. In the 14th century, Metropolitan Alexei even forbade birds from flying into the city for this reason.
In China, the magpie is revered and considered the bird of happiness.
In Rus' it was customary to call talkative women magpies.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Magpie on a branch

Magpies are distinguished by the fact that they are often devoted to their chosen one. They choose their companion in the first year of life. For them, this is a responsible decision, because as a pair they will build a nest and feed the chicks in all subsequent years.

In spring, magpies choose a secluded place in a bush or high in a tree. If there are houses inhabited by people nearby, then magpies choose a nesting site as high as possible, fearing encroachment. Magpies begin to mate with a partner only in the second year of life.

Magpies typically lay about seven or eight eggs. Egg laying occurs in mid-April. Their eggs are light blue-green with speckles and are of medium size, up to 4 cm in length. The female incubates the eggs. For 18 days, she warms the future chicks with her warmth. The chicks are born naked and blind. Once they hatch, the parents share caregiving responsibilities equally. That is, both the female and the male take care of the chicks. They spend all their time searching for and delivering food to their offspring.

This lasts for about a month, and around day 25 the chicks begin to try to fly out of the nest. But attempts to fly independently do not mean that they will begin an independent life so quickly. They stay with their parents until the fall, and sometimes for a whole year. For a long time, they intercept food from their parents, although physically they are already quite capable of getting it themselves.

It happens that magpies' nests are destroyed by predators. In such cases, magpies can build a nest again or complete an abandoned one, and then lay eggs again. But they will do this more efficiently. Sometimes entire groups of magpies are observed laying eggs in June. Probably, for some reason, their previous spring attempt to reproduce was unsuccessful.

Appearance

Photo of a magpie on a stump
The magpie has a slender, elongated body; long fan-shaped tail; short, narrow, pointed at the end wings; small head and thick, curved beak. The paws are long, four-toed, the fourth toe points backward, which allows the bird to cling tightly to branches and maintain a stable position.

Magpie walks on green grass

The plumage of the magpie is two-colored: the head, neck, chest and back are blue-black. Violet and green shades are noticeable in the sun. The long tail is black. The belly and shoulders are white. Sometimes the wings along the border are also painted white. The eyes are black, the beak is dark gray, the legs are gray-brown.

The color of young birds also contains white and black, but the plumage is not as bright and contrasting as that of adult magpies. In spring, birds begin to molt. At this time, magpies look faded, some of the feathers fall out and patches of skin are visible here and there. By the beginning of summer, birds grow new dense matte feathers of rich, uniform color.

Photo of a magpie on a stone

The plumage of magpies of both sexes is identical, so it is almost impossible to distinguish a female magpie from a male. However, there are differences in size between birds: the male magpie is one and a half times larger than the female.

Natural enemies of magpies

Photo: Magpie in nature

In the wild, forty's enemies include mainly large species of birds of prey:

Falcons;
Owls;
Eagle owls;
Eagles;
Eagles;
Hawks;
Eagle owls.

Magpie chicks living in tropical regions also sometimes suffer from snake attacks. In our latitudes, a squirrel, hazel dormouse or marten can climb into a bird’s nest. Moreover, if the last two animals eat chicks and eggs, then the squirrel may not even feast on the bird’s eggs or its chicks, but simply throw them out of the nest.

And this also leads to their death. Adult birds are too large for such animals. But among larger mammals, adult magpies are often attacked by wild cats. Sometimes birds become prey for foxes and in very rare cases for wolves or bears. The magpie is very cautious, and therefore is caught very rarely, and the victims are mainly sick or very old birds.

Today, man has turned from an enemy of the magpie into something neutral. Yes, sometimes nests are destroyed or magpies are exterminated as pests, but this occurs in very rare cases, and magpies are saved by ingenuity and caution. At the same time, thanks to humans, birds have the opportunity to constantly find food in landfills.

Magpie at home

A man holds a magpie in his hand and feeds it.
A wild bird like a magpie can become a pet. These birds quickly get used to humans and adapt to the surrounding conditions. Fed by humans, adult magpies recognize their owner by sight, become tame, feed from hands and do not fly away from him for long.

Magpie chicks at home

You can only tame a magpie that fell into human hands as a chick. Magpie cubs are easy to feed, as these birds are omnivores. Homemade food is suitable as food - fish and meat, bread, fruits and vegetables, berries and nuts. In order not to harm the fragile body, it is better to give food raw, without using any spices. Two-week-old chicks eat up to ten times a day, menstruation - three to four times. You need to feed the magpie in small pieces. Sometimes you can give cottage cheese and eggs. It is strictly forbidden to give poultry pork and white bread. Poultry needs vitamins, especially in the autumn-winter period.

An impudent magpie tries to steal food from a child

Magpies love to take a bath - by bathing, the birds cleanse their feathers and skin of parasites. This must be remembered when arranging an enclosure or cage for your pet. By the way, many magpie keepers do not limit the life of birds to a cage and allow their pets to move freely around the house. However, according to the observations of zoologists, the bird feels more comfortable in a cage and behaves calmer than when it lives in an open space.

Distribution, habitats

Where does the magpie live in its natural habitat? The distribution area of this bird is concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere, where it is found on all its continents - Africa, Eurasia and North America. The distribution areas of the common magpie are especially extensive, covering the entire temperate climate zone of Eurasia (with the exception of the Far East).

Other species have narrower ranges. For example, the California magpie is found only on the California Peninsula, and only the thick-billed azure magpie lives in Taiwan. The habitat of the blue magpie is a real mystery. They cover two areas: one - the Far East (China, Korea, Japan, northern Mongolia, Primorye), the second - the extreme west of Europe (Portugal and Spain). To date, science has not provided any explanation for how birds of the same species became so isolated from each other.

All species have similar habitats, as well as what magpies eat. They prefer to settle in forests of various types - broad-leaved, coniferous and tropical jungles. They live in city parks, in dense thickets, and in open forests, and in forest plantations. While searching for food, they visit fairly open spaces: clearings, wastelands, shores of lakes and rivers, meadows and fields.

There are species that stay alone most of the year and form married couples and groups only after hatching eggs. There are also those that live in small flocks, and during the nesting period they break up into separate pairs.

Relationship between female and male

Magpies differ from many other birds in their relationships. This is especially noticeable during the courtship period. The common magpie is a monogamous nature. Accordingly, these birds form monogamous families. But almost a third of these families break up. And the reason for the “divorce” is the mercantile nature of the magpies. Another very significant reason for “terminating” their relationship is their living space. In general, everything is like with people.

Magpies are capable of onomatopoeia

The magpie's voice is sharp and sonorous. Their call is in the form of a loud chirping sound. At the same time, chirping, various third-party sounds and even screeching are woven into the song.

Magpies that are raised by humans are distinguished by their importunity and gullibility. Such a smart bird is quite sociable. Scientists described a case in which a large macaw parrot could not begin to speak for several months until its cage was placed next to the cage of a tame magpie, which did not stop talking day after day. At first, the macaw began to imitate the chattering magpie, and then he uttered individual words, while learning new ones and calling his own master’s children by names.

Nutrition

Magpies have no special dietary preferences. They are absolutely omnivorous birds. They feed on both small mammals and insects. The magpie is a bird that is prone to eating other people's chicks and eggs. It happens that she steals bones from dogs and cats. Often birds encircle fields and vegetable gardens and thereby spoil the harvest. They also feed on small rodents. Thanks to its powerful beak, the magpie tears its prey into pieces, holding the carcass itself with one paw. The beak also helps her break through eggs with ease. She will never go hungry thanks to her intelligence and dexterity.

Sedentary lifestyle

Many people have a natural question: is the magpie a migratory bird or not? Due to the fact that she never leaves herself hungry, she does not need to fly to other lands. She eats everything. And physically the bird is prepared by nature to withstand even severe frost. She leads a sedentary lifestyle. The exception is the magpie, which lives in the vastness of Scandinavia. Only she is looking for more favorable conditions for wintering.