Animalia Life

Pica pica
SUBFAMILY
Corvinae
TAXONOMY
Pica pica Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden. Twelve subspecies. Until 2000, the black-billed magpie of northwest North America was considered a subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Common magpie; French: Pie bavarde; German: Elster; Spanish: Urraca de Pico Negro.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
16.77–19.5 in (43–50 cm); 6.3–9.63 oz (180–275 g). Plumage is mostly black with white belly, sides, and scapulars. The black head, neck, mantle, and breast have a weak green and purple sheen; the black wings and tail are highly glossed with green/blue/purple iridescence. Bill, legs, and feet are black.
DISTRIBUTION
One of the most widespread of corvids, found throughout Europe and much of Asia, and northwest Africa.
HABITAT
Generally found wherever there are trees, although avoids dense forest.
BEHAVIOR
Presence often betrayed by raucous “chacking” call. Groups of magpies often harass gulls or kites to make them drop food.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Omnivorous diet includes invertebrates, fruit and berries, birds, mammals, carrion including road kills; scavenges human garbage.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Solitary nester. Lays between two to 13, but generally eight to nine eggs March through May in dome-shaped twig nest. Incubation 14–23 days; fledging 10 days; young stay with parents for a short time after leaving nest. Other nonbreeding adults allowed in breeding territory.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened; common to abundant.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Numbers controlled where perceived as a threat to game birds in Europe.

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