Details
Pica hudsonia
The black-billed magpie is a black-and-white corvid of open western North America. Its long tail, social behavior, and flexible omnivory make it conspicuous.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses grassland, riparian woodland, farmland, ranchland, and shrub country. Scattered trees or tall shrubs near open foraging areas are favored.
Length is 45-60 cm and weight 145-210 g. The body is black and white, the wings and very long tail show metallic gloss, and the bill and legs are black.
Diurnal and social, it moves in family groups or small flocks. Birds give loud alarm calls and may gather to mob raptors or other threats.
An omnivore, it eats insects, small vertebrates, eggs, fruit, seeds, and carrion. It may pick ticks and scraps around livestock or large animals.
Pairs build a domed stick nest lined with mud and grass. Both defend the nest, and chicks receive a diet rich in animal food.
It is listed as Least Concern. It adapts well to ranching and farmland, though local numbers depend on food and nesting trees.
