Growing up as the youngest of seven sons, I often felt smaller and less capable than my older brothers. My childhood spent alone in the woods, however, honed my observational skills and fostered a deep appreciation for the underdogs, or in this case, the “underbirds.” Magpies, often maligned for their raucous nature and tendency to prey on the eggs and young of other birds, are fascinating creatures deserving of a closer look. Just as I survived on commercially prepared chicken, they too are opportunistic survivors, and their methods warrant a balanced perspective. The Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) is a prominent resident of the western United States and Canada, showcasing a range of behaviors that rival those of more celebrated native birds.
Magpies are undeniably intelligent, exhibiting complex behaviors such as caching food for future use. Their caching strategies are sophisticated, adapting to the presence of other magpies by spacing their food stores farther apart when more rivals are around. This keen awareness extends to self-recognition; magpies are among the few species, alongside elephants, dolphins, and apes, to demonstrate the ability to recognize themselves in a mirror, indicating a grasp of self-awareness. This cognitive prowess is shared with their corvid relatives, crows and ravens, suggesting a broader intelligence within this bird family.
Furthermore, magpies display a peculiar “cheeky” behavior towards potential predators like hawks, owls, and humans. They have been observed approaching and singing to their enemies, a behavior that, while perhaps startling, may serve to establish social status within their flocks or assert dominance among nesting pairs, thus proving their resilience. Another remarkable, though less frequently witnessed, behavior is the magpie “funeral.” Upon discovering a deceased magpie, they gather, vocalize noisily for a period, and then disperse in silence, a somber ritual that hints at a complex social understanding.
Contrary to the folklore associating magpies with hoarding, a 2014 study published in Animal Cognition revealed that these birds actually avoid unfamiliar, shiny objects like rings and tin foil. They even exhibit avoidance of palatable food placed near such items, debunking the myth of compulsive thievery presented in sources like the Collins English Dictionary.
Their physical appearance is equally striking. Glossy black and white plumage is complemented by subtle, iridescent feathers that shift through hues of blue, green, and purple depending on the viewing angle. This iridescence is a result of light refraction and reflection within the feather’s structure. Coupled with the longest tail of any corvid—measuring half the bird’s total body length—magpies present a visually compelling, almost dapper, appearance. Despite their longest tail, which impacts their aerial agility, magpies are adept at evading predators. Their territories often feature a mix of open foraging areas and dense cover, allowing them to quickly retreat into thick tangles of branches where larger birds of prey cannot follow.
Magpie nests are robust structures, built over 3-6 weeks using thorny sticks and small branches to deter predators. The construction involves a five-phase process, starting with a muddy base, followed by the formation of a stick floor and roof, the addition of a mud layer lined with fine grasses and animal hair, and finally, the reinforcement of the outer walls with thorny branches, leaving only small openings. While males typically deliver sticks and build the main structure, females meticulously craft the inner nest cup. Both sexes participate in nest building, and old magpie nests are often repurposed by raptors, such as great horned and long-eared owls, for their own nesting or roosting sites. Magpies are non-migratory, generally nesting in the same vicinity year after year, with average distances of just over 900 feet between nests. Pairs often form lifelong bonds, though some instances of “divorce” have been observed, particularly when a better territory or mate becomes available.
Evidence of complex social dynamics is further illustrated by documented instances of extra-pair copulations, where both males and females solicit mating opportunities from neighbors with higher-quality territories. Research involving a live female decoy highlighted these dynamics: resident females aggressively attacked the decoy, while males exhibited varied responses, with some defending their mates and others courting the decoy if their own mate was distant. This behavior bears a curious resemblance to human social interactions and law enforcement operations.
Both male and female magpies fiercely defend their nest territories, even when nesting in loose colonies with adjacent territories, sometimes in proximity to raptor nests. This behavior was noted by Meriwether Lewis during the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805, when four magpies were among the live specimens sent back to President Jefferson. Only one survived the journey, ending up at the first museum in the Western Hemisphere. This unique historical connection sets magpies apart from other native bird species.
Ultimately, the behaviors we perceive as “vices” in magpies are often survival adaptations. However, judging these behaviors through the lens of human societal norms is inappropriate, as societies are species-specific. Unless magpies begin “stealing” broiled chickens from Costco, they deserve greater recognition for their remarkable intelligence and complex behaviors.
