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Black-billed Magpie

Pica picaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Crows and Jays (Corvidae)

Breeding Location:

Forest edge, Grassland with scattered trees, Bushes, shrubs, and thickets, Scrub vegetation areas



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial



Breeding Population:

Widespread



Egg Color:

Green gray marked with brown



Number of Eggs:

7 - 13



Incubation Days:

16 - 21



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

Made of sticks, mud, and thorny material.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

Black-billed Magpie: Large, noisy jay, mostly black, with very long tail and dark, stout bill. Wings and tail are iridescent blue and green-black. White belly and sides. Eats insects, larvae, carrion. Direct flight on shallow, steady wing beats. Often glides between perches or from perch to ground.

Range and Habitat

Black-billed Magpie: Resident from Alaska and western Canada south to California and the Great Plains. Preferred habitats include open woodlands, savannas, brush-covered country, and stream sides.

Breeding and Nesting

Black-billed Magpie: Seven to thirteen brown marked, green gray eggs are laid in a neat cup nest within a large, bulky, domed structure of strong, often thorny twigs, with a double entrance, in a tree or bush. Incubation ranges from 16 to 21 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Black-billed Magpie: Eats insects and carrion; also picks ticks off backs of elk, deer, and livestock. Forages on the ground by walking or hopping; when plentiful, food is cached.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Suet, Sunflower Seed

Vocalization

Black-billed Magpie: Emits a rapid, nasal "mag mag mag" or "yak yak yak."

Similar Species

Black-billed Magpie: Yellow-billed Magpie is smaller and has a yellow bill and yellow patch of bare skin below or around the eye.

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Family Jays and Magpies (Corvidae)_blue
Species Pica pica
Length17.5 - 22 Inches
Wingspan24 Inches

Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie: Large, noisy jay, mostly black, with very long tail and dark, stout bill. Wings and tail are iridescent blue and green-black. White belly and sides. Eats insects, larvae, carrion. Direct flight on shallow, steady wing beats. Often glides between perches or from perch to ground.

● Song: "mag-mag-mag", "yak-yak-yak"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black-billed Magpie: Eats insects and carrion; also picks ticks off backs of elk, deer, and livestock. Forages on the ground by walking or hopping; when plentiful, food is cached.

● Breeding & nesting: Black-billed Magpie: Seven to thirteen brown marked, green gray eggs are laid in a neat cup nest within a large, bulky, domed structure of strong, often thorny twigs, with a double entrance, in a tree or bush. Incubation ranges from 16 to 21 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Black-billed Magpie: Yellow-billed Magpie is smaller and has a yellow bill and yellow patch of bare skin below or around the eye.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight with slow steady wing beats.
Black-billed Magpie Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Black-billed Magpie: Resident from Alaska and western Canada south to California and the Great Plains. Preferred habitats include open woodlands, savannas, brush-covered country, and stream sides.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationWidespread
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight6.6 Ounces