Pica bottanensis
The Black-rumped Magpie (Pica bottanensis) is a striking member of the crow family, Corvidae, distinguished by its glossy black rump, a key feature separating it from its close relative, the widespread Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica), with which it was once considered conspecific. This elegant corvid measures approximately 45-50 cm in length, with a long, graduated tail contributing significantly to its overall size, and boasts a wingspan of around 52-60 cm, weighing typically between 180-250 gra...
Found primarily in high-altitude subalpine forests, open coniferous and broadleaf woodlands, and scrub areas, often near human settlements or cultivated land in mountainous regions, typically at elevations between 2,000 and 4,500 meters.
An omnivorous species, consuming a wide range of invertebrates (insects, spiders), small vertebrates (rodents, lizards, eggs, nestlings), carrion, as well as seeds, fruits, and grains, foraging both on the ground and in trees.
Black-rumped Magpies are diurnal and highly social, often forming small family groups or larger flocks outside the breeding season, especially during winter when they may gather in communal roosts. They are opportunistic foragers, diligently searching for food on the ground, probing leaf litter, ...
The Black-rumped Magpie is a non-migratory resident primarily found across the eastern Himalayas and adjacent regions. Its core breeding and wintering range extends from central Nepal eastward through Bhutan, the mountainous regions of northern India (including Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal ...
Least Concern
- The Black-rumped Magpie was only recently recognized as a distinct species (Pica bottanensis), having previously been considered a subspecies of the widespread Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica). - Its entirely black rump is the definitive field mark distinguishing it from the Eurasian Magpie, which h...