Growing up as the youngest of seven sons, I was always half as big and half as strong as my older brothers. This led me to adapt by spending a lot of time alone in the woods, which ultimately fostered my curiosity as a biologist. This background likely explains my tendency to root for the underdog, or in this case, the “underbird.” Magpies often get a bad reputation, even among bird enthusiasts, due to their noisy nature and their occasional habit of preying on the eggs and chicks of other birds. However, it’s worth noting that in the past year, I have consumed more birds and eggs than any magpie likely has in a lifetime. Just as they don’t judge me for surviving on readily available food, I believe we shouldn’t judge them too harshly. This sentiment is particularly relevant when considering the Black-Billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia), a species that inhabits western U.S. and Canada and displays a remarkable range of intelligent and complex behaviors. Black-billed magpie
Magpies are undeniably intelligent creatures. They exhibit foresight by caching food for later consumption. Furthermore, their caching strategy is sophisticated; they adjust the distribution of their caches based on the presence of other magpies in the vicinity. When more magpies are around, individual birds tend to space their caches farther apart to protect them. Beyond food storage, magpies demonstrate a profound cognitive ability by recognizing themselves in a mirror, suggesting an understanding of self. This advanced cognitive skill has, until recently, been primarily observed in animals like elephants, dolphins, and apes, as well as humans. This finding hints that their corvid relatives, such as crows and ravens, may also possess this capability.
Magpies also display a “cheeky” behavior when confronting potential predators like hawks, owls, and even humans. They have been observed approaching and even singing to their enemies. This behavior can be likened to a melodious rendition of ancient Scottish warriors lifting their kilts before battle. While the exact purpose is debated, it is suspected that this behavior helps magpies establish social status within non-breeding flocks or among groups of nesting adults, serving as a means to prove their fitness by surviving such encounters.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing, though rarely witnessed, behaviors is the magpie “funeral.” When a magpie encounters a deceased member of its species, it emits loud calls to attract other magpies. A noisy gathering then forms around the fallen bird. After about 10-15 minutes of vociferous calls, the entire flock of “mourners” disperses in silence.
Contrary to popular belief, a long-standing myth about magpies being compulsive hoarders of shiny objects has recently been debunked. While the Collins English Dictionary defines a magpie as “a person who hoards small objects,” a 2014 study published in Animal Cognition demonstrated the opposite in avian magpies. In controlled experiments, magpies actively avoided unfamiliar shiny objects like rings and tin foil. They even showed aversion to tasty nuts placed near these shiny items, indicating they are not the incorrigible thieves of human folklore.
When viewed without prejudice, our native magpies are genuinely handsome birds. Their striking black and white plumage is complemented by the subtle beauty of iridescent feathers that shift through hues of blue, green, and purple depending on the angle of light. This iridescence results from complex light refraction and reflection within the feather structure. Adding to their distinctive appearance is the longest tail among corvids, with tail feathers comprising roughly half the magpie’s body length (9-12 inches or 23-30 cm). This combination creates a compelling, almost comically elegant, presence.
The magpie’s long tail, while distinctive, can hinder its aerial pursuits. Consequently, magpies have evolved to outmaneuver their predators rather than out-fly them. Their territories typically feature edge habitats, where open, grassy foraging areas meet the cover of trees and brush. When pursued by a hawk or owl, a magpie can dart into dense thickets where larger birds of prey cannot easily follow.
To further deter predators, magpies construct large nests using thorny sticks and small branches. This intricate nest-building process can take 3-6 weeks and results in a complex structure measuring 2-4 feet (approximately 1 meter) in width. The construction unfolds in five distinct phases, beginning with a muddy, grassy base secured in a branch fork. The second stage involves adding sticks to form the floor and roof, leaving the sides open. A mud base is then created atop the stick floor, meticulously lined with fine grasses and animal hair. Finally, thorny branches are added to the outer walls, creating two small openings into the main nest cup.
For the most part, male magpies deliver the sticks and build the outer structure, while females undertake the detailed work of creating the inner nest cup. However, I have personally observed both sexes simultaneously carrying sticks and flying to their nest. In subsequent years, these sturdy magpie nests are often repurposed by raptors, providing favored nesting sites for great horned and long-eared owls, as well as day roosts at Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge. Magpies are non-migratory, and pairs typically build their new nests in the same general area as the previous year, averaging just over 900 feet (275 meters) away. Much like humans, most magpies form lifelong pair bonds, though occasional “divorces” occur. Some remain with the same mate throughout their adult lives (averaging 4 years, with a record of 9 years), and others will re-pair if their mate passes away. Approximately one-third of both males and females will divorce their partner if presented with an opportunity to secure a higher-quality territory or a more advantageous home life.
Both males and females have been documented soliciting extra-pair copulations from neighbors residing in territories of higher quality. Unpaired adults do not produce eggs or sperm and do not actively seek copulations. An interesting anecdote illustrates this: when a researcher attempted to capture magpies using a live female decoy, all resident females immediately flew in to attack the intruder. Male behavior, however, varied. If his mate was nearby, he joined the attack. But if his mate was distant, he instead flew in and courted the female decoy. This avian research scenario bears a striking resemblance to a vice squad sting operation.
Both male and female magpies vigorously defend their nest territories. However, magpies often nest in loose colonies with adjacent territories, frequently situated near raptor nests. This communal nesting behavior was observed by Meriwether Lewis on April 27, 1805, the very first day the Lewis and Clark Expedition entered Montana, over two centuries ago.
Earlier that same month, Lewis and Clark had prepared “Sundry articles” for shipment from Fort Mandan back to President Jefferson. These items were packed into one trunk, four boxes, and four cages. The cages contained live specimens of newly discovered species, including a prairie dog, a sharp-tailed grouse, and four magpies. Sadly, only one of the magpies survived the arduous four-month journey. Jefferson subsequently sent this handsome black and white bird to Charles Willson Peale in Philadelphia. This magpie then took up residence in the first building in the Western Hemisphere specifically constructed as a museum, a distinction no other native bird species in our region can claim.
In essence, magpies, like humans, possess behaviors that can be perceived as “vices” but are largely adaptations for survival. Certain adaptive behaviors may become viewed as vices within the context of a formed society that polices acceptable conduct. However, societies are species-specific—for instance, a magpie breeding population versus the citizens of Montana. We should refrain from imposing our human rules of behavior onto other animals. Therefore, unless magpies begin “stealing” readily available food from establishments like Costco, I believe they deserve greater recognition and appreciation for their remarkable behaviors and cognitive abilities.
