Magpie Bird
Some Interesting Information About The Magpie Bird
Ok, we need to be a little bit confused about the identification of the magpie bird before we can gain clarity and get to know him. The European black-billed magpie was originally thought to be the stock species of what we now call the American black-billed magpie. Recent behavioral and characteristic studies by the scientific community, however, have more closely linked the American black-billed magpie to the yellow-billed magpie, whose origins span southward across many Eurasian countries. All of this said, the American black-billed magpie will here-to-fore be referred to as the magpie, for the purposes of simplifying our article about the magpie bird found on our continent.
Ah. Time to settle in. The magpie enjoys strong numbers throughout the continent, particularly to the west. He is a songbird, but also is seen as a predatory animal. His call is sharp and broken, lasting for about 5 or 6 seconds per performance. The magpie bird is strikingly beautiful, and is probably one of the easiest wild birds to identify, even for the novice. He is black with a white belly and a white cloud on the shoulder of his wing. His tail is very long, measuring an average of one and a half times the length of his body. His overall length, therefore, is an average of 24 inches from the tip of the tail to the tip of his beak. His wingspan most generally matches his length by within centimeters. The dietary needs of the magpie bird are rather fascinating, and his nest building habits even more so.
The magpie bird is a nest predator, and is known to steal both the eggs and the nestlings from other species. This carnivorous behavior can be quite disconcerting for many bird enthusiasts who set up feeders and nesting boxes in the hopes of watching their favorite wild birds raise their young. The magpie bird is a bit of thief in other realms, as well, and has made a name for himself where he ought not to be at all. He enjoys shiny objects, much as the crow does, and his nesting sites have produced such materials as key chains and even gold bracelets and rings. It takes the mating pair over 40 days to build their nesting site, though they expend little energy in doing so. It is estimated that the magpie bird expends 1% of his daily energy expenditures on nest building.
The magpie often lights on the backs of large mammals, picking ticks and fleas from them as an added protein source. There is some sort law of nature which makes these animals accept, and even welcome, this generous preening by the bold magpie bird.