Magpie behaviour

assunun · #1 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 02:22 PM

Please would someone help me with this query:

I heard a noise on the sloped rook of my house the other day and thought it sounded like something rolling down it. I didn't think anything of it until I glanced out of the window and saw a magpie with a snail and shell in its beak. I have since found several empty shells on the patio (I assumed they had been eaten by the resident hedgehog, or a mouse?) although these were not smashed open.

Does anyone know if Magpies eat snails by dropping them from a height? I've only heard of Song Thrushes eating snails and they tend to smash the shells open.

Many thanks

captaincarot · #2 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 02:25 PM

yep i've seen it happen, i've also seen crows dropping freshwater mussels in order to get them open

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 04:19 PM

They are very intelligent + adaptable birds, so it wouldn't surprise me if an individual had learnt to do this.

Johnny81 · #4 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 04:25 PM

Corvids are considered the most intelligent of the birds so I have read...

nightshade · #5 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 04:31 PM

All the Corvids are very intelligent, this is yet another example of where there is a will there is a way

captaincarot · #6 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 04:34 PM

to be fair it doesn't require corvid level intellect,

the lamergier does it with bones, in order to crack them open and certain eagles will do it with tortoises in order to do the same.

it's when they invent the tin opener we have to worry

werdnal · #7 (**permalink**) 20-09-2010, 07:50 PM

Quite possible.

We once watched a magpie stalking a mouse in our field. When he finally caught it, he flew up to a reasonable height and dropped the mouse, then picked it up and did this a second time, before flying off with it. I guess it was making sure it was dead and wouldn't struggle and get away, whilst he carried it somewhere safe to eat it.