Eurasian magpie

The Eurasian magpie, known scientifically as Pica pica, is a highly intelligent resident bird.

It lives across the northern part of the Eurasian continent. This bird belongs to the corvid family, which includes crows and ravens. It is part of a group called the Holarctic radiation of monochrome magpies. The Eurasian magpie is famous for its remarkable intelligence. Specifically, its nidopallium—a part of the brain—is very large. The relative size of this brain area is similar to that of humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. Because of this, it is one of the few bird species that can pass the mirror test.

Physically, the Eurasian magpie has a striking black and white appearance. The adult male of the nominate subspecies, P. p. pica, has a very long tail. In fact, more than half of its total body length is made of tail feathers. The head, neck, breast, and vent are a glossy black. These feathers often show a metallic green or violet sheen. The belly and scapulars, which are the shoulder feathers, are pure white.

The wings are also black with a green or purple gloss. The primary feathers have white inner webs that appear when the wing is open. The tail is graduated and black with green or reddish purple tones. While males and females look similar, the females are slightly smaller. The tail feathers themselves can range from 12 to 28 cm in length.

Magpies undergo a process called moulting once every year after they breed.

This process usually begins in June or July and ends by October. During this time, adult birds replace all of their feathers. The primary flight feathers are replaced over a period of three months. Juvenile birds have a different process called a partial moult. This starts about one month after the adult moult begins. During a partial moult, young birds replace their body feathers, but not their wing or tail feathers.

Human interest in the magpie spans several centuries. The Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner first described the bird in 1555. In 1758, Linnaeus included the species in his Systema Naturae. He originally used the scientific name Corvus pica. Later, in 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson moved it to the genus Pica. This name comes from the Classical Latin word for the magpie. Scientists once thought the North American black-billed magpie was the same species. However, in 2000, the American Ornithologists' Union decided they were different. They found that the black-billed magpie was actually closer to the yellow-billed magpie.

There are several different subspecies of the Eurasian magpie.

The International Ornithological Congress recognizes six subspecies. These include P. p. fennorum in northern Scandinavia and P. p. pica in the British Isles. Other types include P. p. melanotos in the Iberian Peninsula and P. p. bactriana in Central Asia. The subspecies P. p. leucoptera lives in southeast Russia and northeast China. Finally, P. p. camtschatica is found in the Russian Far East. These subspecies vary in size and the amount of white in their plumage. Some, like the Asian P. p. bactriana, have a very prominent white rump.

Magpies are very successful at living near humans.

They prefer open countryside with scattered trees. They are usually absent from dense forests or treeless areas. However, they often live in suburban parks, gardens, and city centers. In Sweden, they are almost exclusively found near human settlements. Some evidence suggests they became scavengers near humans during the Scandinavian Iron Age. They build large, bulky nests in tall trees. These nests use a framework of sticks cemented with earth and clay. The inside is lined with fine roots and covered by a dome of prickly branches.

In a strange discovery in Belgium, biologists found a nest made of 1,500 anti-bird metal spikes.

Magpies are monogamous, meaning they often stay with one partner.

They mate in the spring and often keep the same territory every year. The female lays five to six eggs in April, though some clutches have up to ten. The eggs are pale blue-green with olive brown spots. The female incubates the eggs for 21 to 22 days while the male feeds her. When the chicks hatch, they are altricial, meaning they are nearly naked with closed eyes. They fledge, or leave the nest, at about 27 days. While many chicks do not survive, adults can live a long time. One magpie near Coventry, England, lived for over 21 years.