The diet of magpies in captivity is based on general principles feeding corvids, which can be read about in a separate article ““. I was prompted to write a separate article on feeding magpies by many years of observations of keeping these corvids in captivity.

Few people think about whether it is easy to provide a magpie with everything it needs in captivity. As a result, we see a picture of the survival of these beautiful birds in the hands of owners who lisp sick birds.

In this article I want to draw the attention of lovers of keeping corvids to the fact that The magpie is an active predator and gatherer. She eats everything she can get - from berries to fairly large animals and birds, as well as carrion.

This is true for both the nominal form Common magpie (Pica pica) with all subspecies, and to blue magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) and to ecotic magpies, for example - (Urocissa caerulea).

Feeding magpies is different from feeding adult birds, so

So, what should a magpie have in its diet?

Forty must be in the diet insects.

Mealworm, zoophobas, crickets, grasshoppers, mole crickets, etc.

Forage insects must be bred on a variety of nutritious diets to ensure their nutritional value is high. Zophobass and mealworms grown on poor diets are rich in fats and poor in mineral composition and vitamins. Feeding magpies only such “fatty” foods will lead to the development of pathologies in the bird’s liver and kidneys.

During the period of mass departure chafer(Khrushchev) ( Melolontha melolontha) it should be given to magpies without restrictions. At this time, it can be stored by freezing. Although, often, birds quickly become full of cockchafers, especially defrosted ones, and refuse to eat them - in this case, you need to take breaks from feeding them.

Magpie eats "ant eggs" - ant pupae. An ant egg is very rich in nutrients, but I would not recommend introducing it into the diet of magpies on an ongoing basis - since collecting ant eggs causes enormous harm to anthills and, accordingly, the forest ecosystem.

In this video, a magpie eats a blackbird. Perhaps this magpie discovered an already crashed blackbird, perhaps it caught it itself. Magpies are capable of catching both adult birds and fledglings of sparrows, tits, and pigeons.

At home, magpies must be constantly provided with small forage birds.

The best option is quail carcasses. You can buy gutted quails in supermarkets or you can order quails from feed animal farms. It is preferable to feed magpies with quails rather than chickens, since it is important that the magpie receives full-fledged small bird bones rich in calcium. Chickens contain a lot of phosphorus, but little calcium.

It is not recommended to feed forty meat to broiler chickens - since such chickens are raised with the help of various biological additives that accelerate the development of muscle tissue and these compounds are stored in raw meat. For magpies, such supplements are not at all useful.

A common magpie hunts a rabbit. Here you can see how magpies act as regulators of the number of small animals in cities. When populations of natural predators (wolves, foxes, dogs) decrease, small animals, in particular rabbits, actively reproduce.

A magpie is hunting a rat. This video was specially added for those who like to accuse forty of various sins and destroy them. Magpies are an important regulator of rodent numbers in cities.

Magpies hunt mice. A similar video, only here the moment of a magpie hunting mice is captured.

A magpie at home should regularly receive small rodents.

It is critical for mineral metabolism. In magpies it is very intense and the lack of readily available calcium in the diet quickly leads to problems with the birds’ bone tissue and the functioning of the heart muscle. In addition, it is important not to forget that the formation mechanism is just as important for corvids as it is for birds of prey and owls.

It is not recommended to feed naked mice in large quantities, as they contain a large amount of phosphorus and a small amount of calcium. This will lead to calcium deficiency in the bird's body and the development of serious problems.

A video about the feeding of blue magpies; if you remove the dubbing, it shows the variety of insects eaten by magpies. You can clearly see how healthy blue magpies look and move.

From the outside it may seem strange, but a huge problem for corvid bird lovers, as well as parrot lovers, is that people do not know what healthy birds of the species they keep at home look like. Hence the large number of chronically ill birds that have not been cared for for years.

Magpies hunt patterned runner (Elaphe dione). Although most likely, this video captures the moment of guarding the nesting area of ​​magpies.

A common magpie caught a snake.

Thick-billed Azure Magpie (Urocissa caerulea) “hunts” a snake. I don't know the type of snake. I believe that in this case, too, the video captured the moment of the magpie defending its nesting site. Snakes and lizards are part of the regular diet of these corvids.

Should I give magpies lizards and snakes? Where can you get them except from nature? Unless you accidentally stumble upon a snake snake or a lizard that has just been run over by a car on a country road. As a treat it is a good addition to the diet of captive magpies. In my opinion, catching reptiles specifically to feed a corvid bird that you have removed from nature is ethically wrong and biologically criminal.

Blue magpies feed on privet berries.

All magpies should be fed the maximum variety of berries available in your area.

Berries should be given both fresh, dried and frozen. Fruits should also always be present in the diet of magpies.

Magpies feed on a dead hare. Rabbit carcasses can be purchased from supermarkets or farmers. It is advisable to give them not gutted. For magpies, like any other corvids, it is very important to properly “load” the beak so that it does not overgrow.

If you are a completely “correct” naturalist, then having got a magpie, most likely you will bring home downed cats, pigeons, etc. I don’t recommend doing this at all! since rabies, different strains of influenza, and many other dangerous infections are not an invention of doctors and laboratories, but a real danger to your health.

A very important point that is missed and not discussed with disgust by urban lovers of corvids - magpies, crows, crows are natural orderlies of ecotopes. An important part of their diet consists of dead animals.

Moreover, it is also important that by eating carrion, magpies receive a large amount of fermented fat and muscle tissue. These compounds cannot be replaced by artificial additives in the birds’ diet, but you don’t have to throw away the uneaten remains of mice, rats, and quails from the aviary or bird room - leave them for several days in the cage or in the magpie’s “stash.”

I think that all owners of corvid birds understand well what a “stash” is) - these are products that end up hidden in the most unexpected places. It’s good when it’s a nut, an acorn or a harmless quail egg, it’s worse when it’s the head of a fish or the carcass of a rat hidden in a jeans pocket). If the enclosure is outdoors, this is not a big problem, but at home it is more difficult. Long tubular bones of animals are well suited for such “feeding” - a magpie will spend a long time and with pleasure gouge the odorous bone.

During the ripening season, these products are actively eaten and stocked by magpies. Don’t forget to provide them for your birds. This is a very good natural beak grinder.

Conclusion, the diet of forty must necessarily include:

Insects:

Animal carcasses:

Quails, rats, mice, rabbits.

"Fermented protein"

Rotten remains of feed animals or tubular bones of cattle and small cattle.

Nuts, acorns, chestnuts.

. Fruits. Vegetables

Clay.

Questions - Answers about feeding magpies. IN.

- Can magpies have mushrooms? And if so, which ones? I gave my magpie sulfur-yellow tinder fungus, white boletus, aspen mushrooms, and chanterelles in small quantities, no problems arose, but suddenly. O.

Questions - Answers about feeding magpies.- Can. All edible for humans - definitely possible. All the rest are questionable; not everything that is dangerous for mammals is dangerous for birds. But I myself cannot yet say which inedible mushrooms are necessary and safe for birds; I have little information about this at the moment.
- I give chicken meat - liver - stomachs - hearts - heads - paws, but I only buy domestic chickens. By the way, when I give the fish whole, the brain and eyes are also eaten immediately. He also eats shrimp this way.
The article does not yet say about cottage cheese in the diet, but this is probably because it is mentioned in other articles.) Well, about eggs. I give the chicken ones boiled (with the shell), and the quail ones raw (also with the shell).

Is lean beef good for magpies? I trim the fat. The beef heart is also quickly eaten.— it’s very good that you feed your magpie so variedly. I did not focus on fish/meat/eggs in this article - since the basis of the diet of magpies is common to all corvids. This is described in detail in the article - Nutrition of corvids. There is a discussion of the fat content of cottage cheese in the diets of corvids in the article: “Lean beef is suitable, preferably on the bones, so that the bird uses force while eating. Beef heart very beneficial for all corvids.

Questions - Answers about feeding magpies.— I would also add mollusks to the article, especially snails, which in nature make up a significant part of the magpie’s diet. They eat large quantities of both slugs and snails along with their shells. Empty shells are also readily eaten and played with.
Another question about chicken heads: can I give them or not? I give it periodically - it is completely eaten, with the exception of the beak. Moreover, they usually eat the eyes right away, and then let the head lie for a couple of days, only after that they eat it.

Chicken heads - the problem with them is the same as with chickens in general - if they are chickens from your own farm - everything is ok. If broilers, I would not recommend using them to feed corvids and birds of prey.

As a reminder: a course of anthelmintic drugs is recommended for all corvids 2 times a year. Late autumn and early summer.

Questions were asked.

The white-sided magpie, which has long lived in close proximity to humans, is well known to all of us. This restless bird makes its presence known with a loud, not very pleasant to the ear, creaking chirping.
Habitat. Distributed in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

Species: Magpie – Pica pica.
Family: Ravens.
Order: Passerines.
Class: Birds.
Subphylum: Vertebrates.

Habitat.
The magpie is a typical inhabitant of the temperate climate zone. Its range covers Europe and Asia, where it is found even in Kamchatka, as well as the vast expanses of North America. Quite often these birds can be found in North Africa. Magpies willingly settle in copses in the middle of cultivated fields and forest edges, but often visit gardens and parks. In mountainous areas, magpies stay only in the valleys. Since these birds easily adapt to changes in external conditions, their populations are not threatened.

Did you know?

• Most often, magpies chirp deafeningly, but in rare cases you can also hear a hoarse magpie song - very quiet and intended only for the ears of a partner.
• The ubiquitous magpie is distinguished by its insatiable curiosity and sometimes approaches humans without fear.
• At the height of the nesting season, magpies make a living as robbery, stealing chicks and eggs from other people's nests. While populations of widespread birds do not suffer too much from magpie raids, they pose a serious threat to rare bird species. The fact is that, unlike other winged predators that prey on weak, wounded or sick individuals, the magpie mercilessly exterminates the entire brood, leaving no one a chance to survive. Until recently, people destroyed magpie nests, not taking into account the fact that beneficial birds, including falcons and kestrels, often live in them.
• On different parts of the body, the metallic tint of black magpie feathers has different shades: on the head and body it is purple, on the top of the head it is green, on the wings it is greenish-blue, and on the tail it is greenish-brown.

Reproduction.
In the spring, a pair of magpies, having found a convenient place in the thick of a bush or tree crown at a height of 3-6 m, begins to build a nest. In cities and villages, magpies settle in trees, higher than the roofs of neighboring buildings. The material for the spacious nest is thick branches on the outside and thin twigs on the inside, and the magpie house itself has a spherical shape. The roof is often woven from thorny thorn branches. The inside of the deep tray is coated with clay and lined with soft grass, moss and wool. Magpies mate in April, after which the female lays 5-8 greenish or bluish eggs with brown specks. One female incubates the clutch for 17-18 days, feeding on the offerings of her partner. At the slightest danger, the expectant mother raises a loud cry, calling for help from her husband. Defending clutches and offspring, magpies attack any enemy with desperate courage. Both parents care for the chicks. After 24-27 days, the magpies fly out of the nest, but still remain under parental care. They are colored the same as adult birds, only their tails are shorter. Even having learned to get food, the chicks energetically demand handouts from their parents and only in the fall do they switch to their own bread.

Lifestyle.
Most magpies live sedentary lives - only small groups of these birds make seasonal migrations after breeding. Outside the nesting season, sociable magpies stay in small but very noisy flocks, often annoying us with sharp, creaky cries. Magpies feel equally free everywhere: they jump briskly along the branches of trees, and walk along the ground with an important step or skip. From the outside, the flight of a magpie may seem slow and difficult, but in fact it has quite decent flying skills. Magpies are omnivorous birds, and their rich diet changes with the seasons. In the summer they feed on insects and their larvae, spiders, slugs and other invertebrate creatures, diversifying their “meat menu” with seeds and fruits; In addition, magpies often prey on small reptiles and mammals. In winter, these birds escape hunger by eating garbage in landfills, and at the height of the nesting season they carry other people's eggs and chicks. However, their own clutches are also ravaged by hungry crows and jackdaws.

Magpie – Pica pica.
Length: 44-46 cm.
Wingspan: 58-60 cm.
Weight: 150-240 g.
Number of eggs in a clutch: 5-8.
Incubation period: 17-18 days.
Diet: omnivore.

Structure.
Head. The small head is covered with short black feathers with a metallic sheen.
Beak. The strong wedge-shaped beak is dark gray in color.
Plumage. The body is covered with soft black and white plumage. The belly, sides and shoulders are white; in other places the feathers are black with a metallic sheen.
Legs. The legs are long, thin and dark. Three fingers point forward, one - back.
Tail. The long stepped tail opens into a narrow fan in flight.

Related species.
Representatives of the raven family are at the highest level of development in the bird kingdom. They communicate with each other using a characteristic hoarse croak or sharp chirping. Ravens have successfully adapted to different living conditions, and their rich diet includes both animal and plant foods. Often hiding food in reserve, they invariably find their “pantries”. A characteristic feature of all ravens is a strong wedge-shaped beak.

Many people know the magpie, and it is very difficult to confuse it with another bird. A lot of interesting things are written about her in the article. From it it will become clear to you: is the magpie a migratory bird or not. The appearance of the magpie that lives in our area, its lifestyle and much more are described. The topic of a bird living in Europe is touched upon a little.

Magpie: description of the bird and appearance

Our magpie is called white-sided because of its interesting color. Its belly and some part of its wings are white, and the bird itself is black. In some ways it is similar to a crow and a jackdaw. But she has a beautiful, long and even tail, which is also black.

Depending on how the light falls, the bird shimmers with blue, purple and greenish hues. But after the spring molt they disappear. This is especially reflected in males. At the end of spring, this overflow is almost unnoticeable. But after some time, new plumage appears, and the feathers begin to sparkle as before.
The common magpie is almost half a meter in size. The wingspan reaches 90 centimeters. The magpie's tail is stepped and longer than the body itself. Males are much larger than females, although they do not even differ in color or appearance.

The bird cannot be confused with any other. In addition to its beautiful and interesting color, it has a unique voice. Specific sounds are heard in it: “cha-cha-cha.” If a magpie is alarmed by something, then these sounds are pronounced very quickly and often. But when everything is calm, you can hear a slow chirping sound. Complex trills of females and males are heard during courtship. They are similar to singing, sometimes interrupted by screams.

Relationship between female and male

Magpies differ from many other birds in their relationships. This is especially noticeable during the courtship period. The common magpie is a monogamous nature. Accordingly, these birds form monogamous families. But almost a third of these families break up. And the reason for the “divorce” is the mercantile nature of the forties. Another very significant reason for “terminating” their relationship is their living space. In general, everything is like with people.

Lifestyle of forty

The magpie is a cautious bird; it is afraid of dense forests, so it chooses safe areas for nesting. He loves to settle near people's houses. She also chose small forest plantations, copses, parks, gardens, and dense alleys. Birds desperately protect their tree with a nest from their relatives. This happens because they have a lot of competition for good living space. Usually the pair chooses trees with dense crowns for nesting. This provides them with protection and security. But if for some reason it was not possible to occupy such a tree, then this is fraught with the disintegration of the family. So you have to vigilantly guard your territory.
Just like humans, not many people get prestigious apartments. Those who did not manage to occupy the dense thickets of trees huddle for some time on the outskirts. Sometimes they nest in single trees, which does not provide the magpies and their offspring with adequate safety.

If a successful replacement for this housing is not found in the near future, then such a “marriage,” even the strongest, is doomed to failure. It also happens that in a family that occupied a decent living space, one of the magpie spouses dies. Then the losers hastily occupy a decent apartment without any hesitation. They drive the “widow” or “widower” out of their nest. They are not even bothered by the presence of chicks. They simply throw out other people's nests and build new ones in their place.

Magpie - bird , which builds interesting and complex nests. The base is made from thick branches, and the outer part is coated with clay with the addition of grass. The inside is covered with thin twigs. From the same components, the magpie makes a kind of roof over its nest. It mainly serves to camouflage against attacks by predatory animals on housing. In this way, the birds try to protect themselves and their family. But this roof does not provide protection from rain and snow. This is the kind of complex house a magpie makes for itself. What bird can make such intricate nests? Only a few.

By appearance resembles a kind of ball. The bird makes a hole on the side. It serves as the entrance to the "apartment". One nest in a tree is not enough; the couple builds another one nearby. After the construction of the second dwelling, the magpie settles in the best of them. And what you didn’t like remains empty all your life. But another couple is not allowed to move in. However, other large birds, such as owls, quite easily settle there.

The magpie is a bird with a rather mean character. She calmly leaves for another partner with good living space, thereby betraying her soulmate. Scientists have recorded that the offspring of such individuals are considered more viable and numerous than those of magpies loyal to each other.

A little about the European magpie

In addition to the usual one, there is the so-called European magpie. Outwardly it is identical to ours. It’s just that her habitat is different. The European magpie lives throughout Europe - from Greece to Scandinavia. She also took a fancy to North Africa. Found exclusively in the coastal regions of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. A small population of magpies can be found in Kamchatka. But in the northwestern part, the population of these birds is listed in the Red Book. There they are a natural monument.

Nutrition

Magpies have no special dietary preferences. They are absolutely omnivorous birds. They feed on both small mammals and insects. Magpie is a bird that is prone to eating other people's chicks and eggs. It happens that she steals bones from dogs and cats. Often birds encircle fields and vegetable gardens and thereby spoil the harvest. They also feed on small rodents. Thanks to its powerful beak, the magpie tears its prey into pieces, holding the carcass itself with one paw. The beak also helps her break through eggs with ease. She will never remain hungry thanks to her intelligence and dexterity.

Sedentary lifestyle

Many people have a logical question: is the magpie a migratory bird or not? Due to the fact that she never leaves herself hungry, she does not need to fly to other lands. She eats everything. And physically the bird is prepared by nature to withstand even severe frost. She leads The exception is the magpie, which lives in the vastness of Scandinavia. Only she is looking for more favorable conditions for wintering.

Conclusion

Magpie is a highly intelligent bird. She knows how to express her sadness. The magpie is the only bird that can recognize itself in the mirror. There were such cases that in captivity she even began to speak in words understandable to humans. This bird has an interesting character trait: it is attracted to everything that glitters. She picks up her find and then hides it well. The bird also attracts attention with its family relationships. The quarrels of two magpies resemble human ones. They have family problems, just like us.

Which cannot be confused with any other. She is a Russian character folk tales and fables, from where, in fact, this bird becomes known to children. Much has been written about her disposition, character and behavior. Some authors dubbed her a gossip, others a thief, and still others simply called her a white-sided woman. It is clear that we are talking about a magpie. In today's article we will try to tell you everything about this beauty, from her description to nutrition and lifestyle. But the main question of the material is: “Can the magpie be considered a migratory bird or not?” By the way, the text will discuss some interesting facts about magpies, as well as their behavior in various life situations.

Description of the bird

Magpies living in Europe differ from their fellow tribesmen, who prefer to live on other continents, in color. They are usually called white-sided, since their bellies and part of their wings have a pronounced white color, while the birds themselves are black. These birds can often be confused with crows or jackdaws, but real experts note that all magpies, without exception, have incredibly beautiful long and even tails, which are always black. It is worth noting that colors may vary depending on the angle of incidence of light. So, sometimes the color of the feathers can be blue, purple or green. This phenomenon often disappears during spring molts, when the bird sheds its worn plumage, replacing it with a new, more attractive one. By the way, the fact that this individual sheds profusely makes one think about whether the magpie is a migratory bird or not. After all, it is molting that often indicates the ability of any individual to adapt to new living conditions.

Dimensions and features

Magpies are medium-sized birds. Their body length can reach just over 50 cm. It is noteworthy that it is almost impossible to distinguish birds by gender. However, males are slightly heavier than females. On average, magpies weigh about 200-235 grams. But any bird can envy their wingspan, because it is about 90 cm. Thanks to this, magpies are fast, agile and quickly cover long distances.

Comfortable habitat and optimal temperature for bird life

It should be said that magpies inhabit almost all corners of Eurasia, perhaps avoiding only the northern regions. It is noteworthy that such birds generally avoid the southern continents, for example, Africa, and do not consider them as habitats. In the central part of the largest continent in the world, the climate is almost the same everywhere, so a completely logical conclusion arises: magpies prefer moderate temperatures and easily cope with fluctuations in its daily norms. Based on the fact that warm regions do not attract or attract birds, one can easily answer the question: “Is the magpie a migratory bird or not?”

Special sounds made by birds, based on which you can judge the mood of the black and white beauty

Males are larger representatives of the species in comparison with females. This phenomenon often occurs in nature in birds, although in mammals, on the contrary, females may be larger. As for coloring, there is no difference by gender. Everyone has the same color. The tails look long and stepped in comparison with the body. The voice of these birds also deserves special attention, which, along with colors and other distinctive features, is a kind of magpie business card. Scientists have proven that if birds of this species are in anxiety, then the sounds they make become more frequent, resembling an incessant chatter. In a calm state, only abrupt chirping can be heard. Special sounds, reminiscent of peculiar trills or gentle modulations, although filled with screaming notes, can be heard from a female or male during periods of courtship: they are completely different from ordinary, everyday signals.

Some features of the magpie's lifestyle

Since magpies are cautious birds, they do not risk settling in dense forests, choosing mainly safe areas. They often live near places where people live. Magpies prefer alleys, small forest plantations, parks, and gardens. It is worth noting that any magpie diligently protects and protects its own home. Trees with nests are diligently protected by these birds from the appearance of unwanted guests, for example, relatives or any other ill-wishers. This feature is due to the presence of enormous competition for a good place to live. Answering the main question of the article (is the magpie a migratory bird or not), it is worth saying that these birds are generally attached to a specific place of residence and do not feel any need to leave their nests.

Quite often, magpies in pairs prefer to choose trees with a dense crown as a place to build a nest, because there is a high probability of hiding from enemies there. Scientists say that magpies, not finding a suitable place to build a nest, may even refuse to procreate and dissolve partnerships. This phenomenon proves the presence of intelligence in these birds. In cases where one of the pair dies, the other remains defenseless against competitors, and they are given an excellent opportunity to take someone else’s place, driving the previous mistress or owner out of the nest along with the chicks.

Everything that lies badly is dragged into the nest by the magpie

It should be noted that magpies are birds that build rather unusual and complex nests. The peculiarity of the magpie's nest is that it consists of thick branches inside, and the outside is wrapped in herbs and coated with clay. The bed itself is woven from thin twigs. By the way, the nests that magpies build have a roof, which is necessary for camouflage purposes and for protection from predators. This kind of structure does not serve as protection from snow or rain, unfortunately, but it may well shelter fragile chicks from the wind. Not all birds make this type of construction, so magpies in the natural world are considered quite hardworking and inventive birds. By the way, the saying that a magpie drags everything shiny and everything that is in bad shape into its nest is partly plausible, because to build a cozy house, black and white beauties require a huge amount of available materials.

It is much easier for omnivores to endure cold weather in a pack

Magpies are wintering birds, which tend to remain in their native place, where they survive the inclement season and lower temperatures. These birds, as mentioned above, prefer to be in constant proximity to humans, since this advantage allows them to find a wide variety of food. It is worth saying that the magpie is an omnivorous creature and easily adapts to new living conditions, which is why it is so easy for them to endure wintering. Magpies, despite the fact that they protect their homes even from their own brothers, still prefer to stick to a flock, because this is an excellent opportunity to find food and protect themselves in the presence of even the slightest threat to life. By the way, where magpies winter, no other birds settle nearby. This is due to the fact that black and white beauties are considered quarrelsome and quarrelsome with their own kind.

Funny comparisons between a man and a magpie

Magpies are highly intelligent creatures prone to expressing sadness. However, these are not all the qualities that these birds are endowed with. Over many years of observations by scientists of them and in the process of their detailed study, some interesting comparisons of magpies with people arose:

1. Magpies are known to be attracted to shiny things. Very often, women who are overly interested in jewelry - precious or costume jewelry - are compared to these birds.
2. Petty thieves are also popularly called magpies, because such birds are naturally prone to stealing things that are in bad shape.
3. Chatterboxes and those who absolutely cannot keep their mouths shut are often called magpies. This is due to the fact that the bird is constantly chirping something, and in England it is generally called a chatterbox.

Basic diet

As noted above, magpies are not picky creatures about their environment and food. They can eat anything and are classified as omnivores. The magpie's diet mostly consists of tiny mammals and insects. Most of these birds can even eat a chick or unhatched eggs, steal a bone from domestic animals, or feast on carrion and the contents of garbage containers. There are many known cases where magpies destroyed crops in the fields and spoiled the harvests in gardens and vegetable gardens. That is why wintering birds (magpies) will never starve under any circumstances, and all thanks to their own intelligence, dexterity and adaptability to life.

Magpie(lat. Pica pica) - a bird of the corvid family ( Corvidae).

Description

Body length 46 cm, wing length - 18.5-20.5 cm; weight more than 250 g. An adult magpie has a head, neck, back and upper chest, as well as elytra, lower tail coverts and shin feathers of a shiny black color; tail feathers are metallic purple-green, bluish at the apex; The sides of the body and the lower part of the chest are white. The iris is dark brown, the beak and legs are black. The magpie is notable for its very long stepped tail, its length in adults is 24.7-27 cm.

Juveniles have plumage without a metallic sheen, the black color is replaced by more or less brownish, the tail is shorter (21.5-25.4 cm).

Voice

In the summer-autumn life of magpies, their “singing”, which is more typical for young birds than for old ones, is of undoubted interest. It is a quiet tongue twister, interrupted by short sounds “zhokh-zhokh”. By the nature of the performance it is a “sub-song”. A singing bird, being alone, sits inside a bush and alternates song with the usual chirping. It is quite rare to hear such singing, since magpies sing very irregularly.

Spreading

Area

Magpies inhabit all of Europe from the North Cape in Scandinavia to the southern tips of Spain and Greece. It is absent only on a few islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Also inhabits parts of the coastal regions of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in northern Africa.

From the east of Europe, the magpie is distributed to approximately 65° north latitude; from the Middle East, its range extends to Turkey and parts of Iran almost to the coast of the Persian Gulf. In the Far East, the northern limit of distribution retreats south to the Sea of ​​Japan up to approximately 50° north latitude. In Asia, the magpie inhabits areas as far as Northern Vietnam, as well as northwestern Mongolia. In North America, magpies inhabit the western half of the continent from Alaska to Baja California inclusive.

Habitats

Magpies are inhabitants of forests of different sizes and origins. They are especially willing to populate forest shelterbelts, as well as plantings along highways and railway tracks. In the west of the Saratov region, the magpie inhabits watershed and floodplain forests, and if conditions are available for nesting, it lives along the edges and outskirts of deciduous and coniferous watershed forests. In conditions of artificial plantings, it does not avoid monocultures and mixed plantings.

Lifestyle

In nature, the magpie is very cautious and timid.

Migrations

In mid-September you can meet groups of magpies, which are united based on the common roosting areas. In the subsequent period, the structure of such temporary populations becomes stable, the number of birds in them constantly increases and reaches its maximum level by the time permanent snow cover is established.

In winter, magpies make regular daily movements. They gather within large and small settlements, as well as on their outskirts, flocking here from early morning, and immediately begin to search garbage dumps where they find food waste. In the evening they fly back to the mass overnight camp.¶

Reproduction

Magpie nest on a maple tree

The first elements of mating behavior are observed in magpies from mid-March. During this period, they gather for the night in traditional places outside the nesting areas and only in the daytime migrate within the limits of nesting biotopes. However, even earlier, from the first days of March in some reproductive areas, group prenuptial flights of these birds can be observed. Magpies gather in relatively dense flocks of up to 25-30 individuals and fly around the territory at a low altitude, without making any sounds. In the last ten days of March, the overnight roosts finally break up and most often individual current pairs or groups of magpies are observed in the immediate vicinity of future nests.

Showing is less pronounced than in other corvids; includes a specific song of males, individual calls, flights at high altitudes, sharp descents, pursuits, etc. From the first days of April, the nest-building activity of these birds becomes clearly visible, and the most intensive nest-building within the Saratov region is observed in magpies in the second half of April. Rare examples of earlier nest building are known. In general, within large and small settlements in the central part of the Saratov region, the formation of nests ends in the first ten days of April; in the first days of the second ten days, the construction of the tray is completed and the birds begin laying eggs. However, birds with building material are also observed at a later time - until mid-June, which is probably due to repeated nesting due to the death of the first clutches or chicks.

It chooses young trees for nesting or settles in the lower tier of mature forests. This feature determines the absence of the species in old forest areas (coniferous and deciduous), devoid of undergrowth.

The nests are massive, spherical, with a side entrance. The outer frame of the nest is usually constructed from thin, dry birch and willow twigs held together with clay. Occasionally, these twigs are partially replaced by coarse stems of grasses, such as reeds. Sometimes even metal wire is woven into the nest. The tray is also coated with clay and lined with moss, soft grass and wool. The top and sides of the nest are covered with branches that form a lid.

Usually the magpie makes its nests at a height of 1.5-5.0 m, in rare cases higher. The dimensions and shape of nesting buildings vary depending on the height of the location, the structure of the nesting tree, the nature of the biotope, etc. However, their internal dimensions are relatively stable and amount to 10-14 cm for the depth of the tray, and 10-19 cm for its diameter. high population density, the minimum distance between neighboring nests is 30-50 m. There are examples of denser settlements.

There are examples when birds did not build new nests, but completed the construction of buildings from previous years or other pairs who, for some reason, left their individual areas. In general, it takes a pair of magpies about a week to build a new nest in early spring, while birds that nested late or re-nested build nesting structures in a shorter period of time.

From mid-May and June, clutches are more often observed in nests, the eggs in which are at different stages of incubation, which may indicate the beginning of incubation from the first or second egg. The peak of egg laying occurs in the first days of May; in natural habitats, the beginning of egg laying is observed in the last ten days of April. There are usually 5-7, less often 8 or even 9 eggs in a clutch. Magpie eggs have two types of background color: light blue (76.6%) and light blue (24.3%). A spotted pattern is characteristic of 56.7% of eggs, spotted-linear and linear-spotted - 43.3%. The share of eggs with a dense pattern distribution accounts for 59.4%, uniform distribution was recorded for 40.5% of eggs. In this case, the pattern in most cases (83.7%) is localized at the blunt end of the egg, much less often - in the middle part (10.8%), although there are examples (5.4%) when the pattern was concentrated at the sharp end. Egg dimensions: 27.3-41.9 × 21.2-26.4 mm.

Nests with unbrooded or weakly hatched clutches are also observed in a later period - in June. Sometimes the presence of a second, less pronounced peak in magpie reproduction is widespread. In general, the length of the egg-laying period for magpies in the Saratov region is about 60 days. The elongation of the oviposition period and the entire reproductive period is due to many reasons, among which the primary one is the high risk of nest destruction by predators and humans.

The appearance of chicks is usually observed from the first ten days of May to the beginning of July, and the duration of the incubation period is close to 20 days. The chicks stay in the nest for 23-25 ​​days, less often fly out on the 20th day, and only in rainy weather they stay for up to 28 days. Despite the noticeable difference in age of the chicks, they leave the nest more or less simultaneously. Usually the example of the elders encourages the younger ones to leave the nest. The first chicks in urban populations of magpies in the central parts of the region fly out of their nests in the second half of May. In the west of the Saratov region, in natural habitats, the emergence of young animals occurs at a later period, usually in mid-June.

For the first few days after leaving the nest, flightless chicks stay in close proximity to it and are supplemented by their parents. Adult birds continue to feed the young for about a month after the chicks acquire the ability to fly. All this time, young and adult magpies usually live within a limited area in the vicinity of the nest. However, in some cases, probably due to limited food resources, families move to other places richer in food. These mainly include river floodplains and forest edges. Here families sometimes unite in groups that persist until autumn and beyond. Only sometimes broods break up within a month or a month and a half after the chicks leave the nest, and young magpies independently wander around the region.

Nutrition

The predominant diet of magpie chicks is food of animal origin, mainly insects, which belong to eight different orders. Most often, adult magpies bring beetles (53 species) and lepidoptera (28) to the nest. Coleoptera are represented in the diet of chicks mainly by adult forms of small ground beetles, May beetle ( Melolontha hippocastani), weevils, pine longhorned beetles and other species; butterflies - caterpillars and pupae of pine moths, bears ( Arctiidae), pine moth ( Bupalus piniaria), scoop. Representatives of other orders of insects and other invertebrate animals, in particular spiders, mollusks, worms and nooses, are caught by magpies irregularly and in small quantities.

Vertebrates play a secondary role in the feeding of nesting chicks and are represented by amphibians, lizards, grass snakes, eggs and chicks of small passerine birds, and voles. The plant component of the diet is very poor (elderberries, weed seeds), carrion and food waste are brought to the nest by adult magpies relatively rarely. Thus, despite the overall high diversity of the chicks’ food spectrum, only about 25 types of food clearly dominate in their diet. Magpies are fed equally on soft and rough food, and the insects they bring vary significantly in size. The dynamics of feeding of chicks during their development is determined mainly by changes in the developmental phases of insects in nature, and not by the selectivity of adult birds when collecting food.

The main share in the nutrition of adult magpies during the nesting period is occupied by animal food, mainly insects (Orthoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera). In the western Right Bank, in forested areas, adult birds prey primarily on imagoes of beetles, caterpillars and butterfly pupae. Also, mouse-like rodents, fast lizards, eggs and chicks of small passerine birds have been recorded in the food of adult magpies within the Right Bank of the Saratov region. In the second half of summer, the importance of feed plant origin(weed seeds, bird cherry, cherry, raspberry and grape fruits, grains cultivated plants, melons, etc.) increases somewhat, and in some areas they may even predominate. Typically, plant objects play a dominant role in the food of magpies only in conditions of shortage of food of animal origin.

In the post-nesting period, magpies remain near the nesting sites for a long time. Those pairs whose nests are located near roads feed in the autumn mainly on the side of the roadway. This feeding behavior is especially evident from mid-October, when a significant number of insects concentrate on the asphalt surface, which warms up during the daytime.

In winter, magpies make regular daily movements. They gather within large and small settlements, as well as on their outskirts, flocking here from early morning, and immediately begin to search garbage dumps where they find food waste. In the evening they fly back to the mass overnight camp site.

Literature

• Dementiev G. P. Passerines (Complete guide to birds of the USSR by S. A. Buturlina and G. P. Dementieva). - T. 4. - M., L.: KOIZ, 1937. - P. 31
• Malchevsky A. S., Pukinsky Yu. B. Birds Leningrad region and adjacent territories. - L.: From Leningrad University, 1983. - P. 538-541
• Birds of the north of the Lower Volga region: In 5 books. Book IV. Composition of avifauna / E. V. Zavyalov, V. G. Tabachishin, N. N. Yakushev and others - Saratov: Saratov University Publishing House, 2009. - P. 176-190
• Felix I. Birds of gardens, parks and fields. - Prague: Artia, 1980. - P. 156
• Flint V. E. et al. Birds of European Russia. Field guide. - M.: Russian Bird Conservation Union; Algorithm, 2001. - P. 160