Bird · GBIF taxon 5229487
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsoniaAlso known as American Magpie
Black-billed magpies are highly social and inquisitive corvids that build enormous, domed stick nests equipped with two exits for quick escapes. They frequently gather around large ungulates to glean ticks and parasites directly from their backs, forming mutually beneficial foraging partnerships. Their iridescent blue and green feathers flash vividly in flight as they navigate Western river bottoms and sagebrush steppes.
SocialIntelligentOmnivorous
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Grasshoppers
- Carrion
- Small Rodents
Predators
- Great Horned Owl
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Domestic Cat
ThreatsVehicle collisions, illegal shooting, nest predation by larger birds
HabitatsOpen woodlands, river valleys, sagebrush steppes, pasturelands, urban parks
Life span4–9 years in the wild
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCorvidae
- GenusPica
- SpeciesPica hudsonia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Nests: Look for massive, domed stick nests built high in deciduous trees or thorny shrubs.
- Listening: Listen for harsh, raspy 'mag-mag-mag' calls echoing across open shrublands.
- Respecting Territory: Give nesting pairs space during spring, as they actively mob intruders.
Competitor Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Frequent Companion "Common Raven (Corvus corax)" by Franco Folini is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Brooke J., some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative Alexis Lours / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
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