-What are the characteristics of a magpie
and what does this beautiful bird eat?
Magpie:
It is a bird that lives in various
environments, including grasslands, meadows, and on the edges of dense forests.
The
magpie can be easily identified by its black and white feathers, long tail, and
loud voice,
The
magpie bird belongs to the same family as crows, and often builds a large nest
with two entrances.
It is
also a very intelligent bird.
 |
| Characteristics of the magpie |
The
magpie can recognize the reflection of its image in the mirror, and solve some
puzzles,
In our article, we will learn
about the most famous species of magpie, and
the most important threats it faces, with a lot of interesting information and
facts about this amazing bird.
Follow
us.
What
do magpies symbolize?
What
are magpies most known for?
Types of magpie
Black-billed magpie
Yellow-billed magpie
Eurasian magpie
Korean magpie
Taiwan blue magpie
Blue-winged magpie
Iberian magpie
Sri Lankan blue magpie
Red-billed blue magpie
White-winged magpie
What is the behavior of a magpie?
? What kind of bird is a seagull
Description of the magpie:
The black-billed magpie has a range
of black and white feathers, and in addition, its wings are characterized by
blue or green glowing feathers,
The
Eurasian magpie is very similar to the black-billed magpie in appearance, and
the Australian magpie has black and white plumage as well, however, unlike the
other two
It has white plumage extending to the back of its neck and, in addition, its beak is black and white.
The magpie has small dark eyes that
are always searching the environment.
It
has dark feet with three thin toes pointing forward and one back.
When
these birds move
They
take long, slow steps and seem to strut rather than just walk, another
characteristic that has earned them the reputation of being aggressive birds.
The
magpie usually grows to a length of about 19 inches, however,
It
can grow to be close to two feet in length, and the magpie weighs about 6
ounces, which is slightly lighter than the hamster you see in a pet store,
The
Eurasian magpie is the largest species of these birds, weighing up to 9.6
ounces.
What are three facts about magpie birds?
? The peacock bird and why it is called the curlew
Evolution and origin of the magpie:
The magpie is a group of birds found
all over the world.
It is
known for its stunning black and white plumage, long tail, and loud sounds.
The
evolution and origin of the magpie is remarkable
Since
it has a long history and has adapted to a wide range of habitats, the magpie
is part of the Corvidae family, which also includes crows and jays, and this
family is believed to have originated in the Paleocene,
About 60 million years ago, and has since diversified into more than 120 species, the magpie is believed to have evolved from the ancestors of a crow-like bird, which lived about 17 million years ago.
The oldest known magpie fossils date
back to the Miocene era, which occurred about 20 million years ago.
These
fossils were found in Europe and Asia.
Which suggests that magpies have a long history in both regions, and over time, magpie species have diversified into different species, each adapted to its own environment.
One of the most famous types of
magpies is the Eurasian magpie, which is found throughout Europe and Asia.
The
Eurasian magpie has been the subject of many myths and legends, often
associated with good luck or bad omens,
It is a very intelligent bird, known for its problem-solving skills and ability to recognize itself in mirrors.
In North America, the black-billed
magpie is a common species, found throughout the western United States and
parts of Canada, and is known for its long, wedge-shaped tail and distinctive
voice,
The black-billed magpie is an
adaptable species and can thrive in a variety of habitats, from grasslands to
mountain forests.
magpie personality characteristics
magpie behaviour
magpie habitat
interesting facts about magpies
?What is the stork known for Stork
Magpie behavior:
A magpie flock is referred to as a
parliament or tribe, and magpie herds are also called homicides, magpies and
crows in the same family, therefore, there can be herds for both types of
birds, and in general,
The flock consists of a pair of magpies and their young, therefore, a typical magpie flock includes about 8 birds, and in cold regions, the magpie herds are larger, and this allows them to stay together to stay warm.
Living in a flock provides magpies
with protection from predators such as hawks and owls, and it is not uncommon
to see a flock of magpies working together to chase a predator away from the
nesting area,
The magpie also seeks shelter from predators in dense forests and forests.
These are aggressive birds that are
not afraid to land on deer, elk and other animals to eat ticks from their fur,
and they are also familiar sightings around farms,
They
steal grains, seeds and other pieces of food from inside the barn or from the
land, and as a result, they are considered pests in many areas with farmland.
how big is a magpie
what colour are magpies
magpie prey
names for magpies
crow and What are the types of birds
Habitat and habitat of the magpie:
Magpies live in various places around
the world, including North America, parts of Europe, Africa and Asia as well as
on the islands of Southeast Asia, and they need a temperate climate to survive,
The
magpie lives in grasslands, meadows and on the edges of forests, These
birds search for food in
open areas of the land, but they live near
dense forests so that they can easily seek shelter from predators,
Its nesting areas are usually found in shrubs or trees that grow near rivers and streams, and this gives birds easy access to water without being far from their young.
Some magpies that live in the
northern regions move slightly south when the cold weather season begins, for
example
The
black-billed magpie that lives in Colorado's Rocky Mountains may move to a
lower altitude when the weather gets cold, however, they do not stray far from
their habitat year-round,
Most
of the time, these birds do not migrate.
Heron bird and ornamental pigeons
Is the magpie threatened with extinction:
It is estimated that there are more
than 5 million black-billed magpies living in North America, and their official
conservation status is less alarming,
Their population is stable although
these birds face some threats, for example, some farmers consider them pests because
they steal seeds and grains from around barn yards,
A
farmer can put poison to kill magpies that have invaded his property, and a few
magpies in other parts of the world are classified as endangered, for example,
The number of magpies is decreasing due to habitat loss, and juniper forests are being cleared in Africa where they live.
In addition, the Javan green magpie
is critically endangered, and the magpie population is declining in Southeast
Asia due to being hunted by humans to sell as pets,
Scientists believe that there are an
estimated 19 million pairs of Eurasian magpies, and their conservation status
is less alarming and their population is stable,
The Australian magpie also has a less important conservation status and its population is increasing.
Magpie food:
What does a magpie eat? The magpie is considered a calcha, so it is
not limited to eating plants or animals, and eats any food source that is more
abundant in the environment at that time, Grasshoppers, berries, nuts, beetles,
larvae and rodents are all on the list, and these birds sometimes steal eggs
and even chicks from the nests of other birds.
Therefore,
the magpie is sometimes called nest predators
In addition, magpies are known to follow coyotes or foxes as they go out hunting, so that the birds can steal some meat from the animal killed by these predators.
Magpie predators:
The magpie has many predators
including domestic cats, dogs, foxes and owls, and also, it can have eggs as
well as chicks stolen from its nest by raccoons, hawks, weasels and mink
The
magpie is a bold bird that is not afraid to spend time around humans and
residential neighborhoods.
It
steals food from garbage cans and may try to eat from the bird feeder,
This activity makes it vulnerable to dogs and cats in the area.
Reproduction and life cycle of magpies:
The black-billed magpie's breeding
season extends from March to July, and male magpies try to attract the
attention of females by showing glowing white feathers on their wings, and once
the male and female become a breeding pair
They remain together until one of them dies, and if one of the spouses dies, the other magpie may find another companion, but this is not certain.
Male and female magpies build a nest
together, and these birds make unusually large nests out of sticks, grass,
threads, hair, vines, and mud.
The
average width of the nest is 20 inches and its length is 30 inches، Interestingly, the magpie's nest has
an umbrella or roof made of sticks in addition to two entrances, and sometimes
these birds build their nests at a height of 30 feet in the branches of the
tree، The
female magpie lays 6 to 9 eggs per group.
The
eggs take 16 to 21 days to hatch, and each egg is just over one inch long، While the female sits on the eggs,
the male magpie searches for food to feed his mate.
The
little magpie is called a chick, and once it leaves the nest and begins to
explore its environment, it is known as the chick.
These
birds are born blind and without feathers, and in the first week of life,
Chicks grow a layer of soft feathers
and open their eyes around the tenth day, and both male and female magpies take
turns bringing small insects and other foods to their chicks
Young magpies leave the nest when
they are approximately 25 days old.
The young magpie stays with its parents in the herd for about two years, then they are taken out of the herd to form another group.
The average lifespan of a
black-billed magpie in the wild is 3 and a half years for a male and 2 years for
a female.
Instead,
the magpie can live in captivity until the age of 20 years، The oldest recorded magpie is the
Eurasian magpie, which lived for 21 years and 8 months.
As
the magpie gets older, it can develop many respiratory problems like other
birds, It can also confront parasites such
as
ectoparasites and lice that can contribute to shortening its life.
With my best wishes
