One of the 3 magpies on WAnimals
Birds · Passeriformes · Corvidae
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
It is regarded as one of the most intelligent birds in the world, with cognitive abilities comparable to those of the great apes, including the ability to recognise itself in a mirror.
Weight
178 g – 272 g
Size
44 cm – 46 cm
Lifespan
3 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- It forms monogamous pairs for life that usually hold the same territory year after year.
- It eats insects, small mammals, the eggs and chicks of other birds, carrion, grain and other plant food.
- One ringed bird reached a record 21.7 years.
- inteligenciaIt is one of the few birds to have passed the mirror self-recognition test, reacting differently to a mark visible only in the reflection.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Open woodland, farmland, parks and town gardens across much of Europe and Asia
- Birth weight
- Tiny, blind and featherless on hatching
- Size at birth
- Tiny at hatching
- Sexual maturity
- 2 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 16-22 days (usual reference 21-22 days)
- Litter / clutch size
- 5 to 8 eggs per clutch
Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); A-Z Animals; Wild Online Blog; Birda (identification); Animalia.bio; Wikipedia (Eurasian magpie); AnAge (Pica hudsonia comparison)
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round; it is most conspicuous in winter, when its bulky nests are laid bare in the leafless trees.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 261 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Eurasian Magpie — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Iberian Azure-winged Magpie
Cyanopica cooki
Northern Nutcracker
Nucifraga caryocatactes
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandarius
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
Western Jackdaw
Corvus monedula
Least ConcernCommon Raven
Corvus corax
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Based on what we already know about eurasian magpie.
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