Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Magpie
Scientific Name:
Pica pica
Common Family:
Crows
Scientific Family:
Corvidae
Length:
44-46cm
Wingspan (mm):
52-60cm
Lifespan:
5-21years 5 on avarage Description
The head, breast and back and appear black with white shoulder patches, flanks and belly.The magpie's black plumage when seen closse up or in sunlight, is actually an irridescent green/purple, fairly similar to that of the starling.The tail accounts for half the bird's length.
Distribution
Found in the whole of the UK except the highlands of Scotland.
Habitat
Magpies prefer open field’s meadows with tree cover but will be found in all habitats including urban gardens. Wherever there are suitable trees for nesting – and sometimes on electricity pylons and other manmade structures.
Diet
With there medium-sized and powerful bill Magpies diet is very varied they will eat just about any thing they can catch and over power. small birds and there eggs in the breeding season mice, lizards snails, spiders etc. carrion forms a big part of there diet and scraps of the human table in urban gardens they will also eat fruit grains and seed if conditions are hard .
Behaviour
Magpies are monogamous pairs remain together for life.It can take a pair of magpies up to 40 days to build a large nest.Magpies will often store food when it is plentiful by hiding it in a scattering of locations within their territory.
Reproduction
Nest building begins early in mid-winter high in the bare branches of trees or shrubs, during which both birds participate in building a large, domed nest. Made from branches, twigs and mud lined with feathers and moss on occasions. Between 4and 8 eggs blue/green in colour are laid in April. Around 18 -20 days for incubation and 20-25 days before the young fledge.
Population
Around about 650,000 breeding pairs in Britain and Ireland
Status
Very common least concern
Did You Know?
magpies Do Not pose a conservation problem to garden birds.Red kites specialise in taking young crows, rooks and magpies which have just left the nest.