bird of the day: the eurasian magpie
the eurasian magpie is a member of the corvid family, with a large range and familiarity with people in urban environments.
eurasian magpies are highly regarded for their intelligence. magpies have been observed using tools, caching food and remembering its location months later, and recognizing themselves in mirrors. their intelligence has been compared to that of great apes.
some view the magpie’s coloring as bland; as from some angles, it is only black and white, which some find uninteresting. however, in the right light, large patches of the bird’s body are iridescent and appear shades of metallic blues and greens.
magpies were originally known only as ‘pies’, thought to be derived from ‘pied’ in reference to the bird’s markings. ‘mag’ was tacked on in the 16th century as a short version of ‘margaret’, which was not only a name but used to refer to women in general; it was used as a derogatory reference to ‘women’s chatter’. ironically, magpies have fantastic mimicry ability, and have extensive ‘vocabularies’ - they can mimic dogs, birds of prey, wildlife, and even human speech.
magpies feed off of insects, small animals & birds (as well as their eggs), fruit, plant matter, and acorns. in urban areas they sometimes scavenge for human leftovers. some believe magpies decimate local bird populations, but no scientific proof has been found indicating magpies are a major threat to other birds.
magpies are intensely protective of their nestlings, which has sometimes led to them being branded as aggressive or mean. magpie offspring are poor fliers even after leaving the nest, and their parents have good reason to worry; researchers found only 22% of young magpies make it to their first birthday.
eurasian magpies are currently rated least concern by the iucn. they have managed to hang on well even with increasing development; hopefully these smart birds continue to adapt and survive.
blakekathryn
prguitarman
jacobvanloon
annaxmalina
germansingergirl
theartofmadeline
