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Birdle

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Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

Striking in black and white with an iridescent blue-green tail nearly as long as its body, the Black-billed Magpie is a bold corvid of western North America. Highly intelligent, it builds large domed stick nests and has been observed passing the mirror self-recognition test. Its raucous chattering is a signature sound of open rangeland.

Fun Fact

Black-billed Magpies build enormous domed nests up to two feet tall that can take 40 days to construct — and they sometimes hold funerals around dead magpies.

Attributes

TypeCorvid
Habitatgrassland, urban
SizeMedium
Dietomnivore
FlightStandard
Colorsblack, white, blue
MigratoryNo
ContinentsNorth America
Nest Typecup
ConservationLeast Concern
Difficulty: easy