Pica pica
The Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) is a strikingly intelligent and ubiquitous corvid, instantly recognizable by its bold black and white plumage accentuated with iridescent sheens. Measuring approximately 40-51 cm in length, including its exceptionally long, graduated tail which can comprise half its body length, and weighing 150-250 grams with a wingspan of 52-62 cm, it presents a distinctive profile. Its 'black' areas shimmer with greens, blues, and purples in good light, a key field mark that...
Eurasian Magpies inhabit a diverse range of open and semi-open landscapes, including agricultural fields, pastures, scrubland, open woodlands, orchards, and increasingly, urban parks and suburban gardens, typically at elevations from sea level up to 2,500 meters.
Eurasian Magpies are opportunistic omnivores, primarily consuming insects, carrion, seeds, berries, nuts, small mammals, eggs, and nestlings, foraging mainly on the ground or in low vegetation.
These highly diurnal birds are active from dawn till dusk, often gathering in large, noisy communal roosts during winter months. Their foraging strategy is opportunistically omnivorous, involving ground-gleaning for invertebrates, scavenging carrion, raiding nests for eggs and nestlings, and cach...
The Eurasian Magpie boasts one of the largest distributions of any passerine, spanning across a vast area of Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Its breeding range extends throughout Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Scandinavian Peninsula in the north, eastward across Russia, ...
Least Concern
- The Eurasian Magpie is one of the few non-mammalian species, along with dolphins, elephants, and some apes, that can recognize itself in a mirror, indicating self-awareness. - Their nests are architectural marvels, often dome-shaped with a thorny roof, providing excellent protection from predat...