Eurasian magpie
Pica pica
A black-and-white bird with a very long tail that is always chattering "chak-chak". Look closely and the feathers you thought were black shine green and purple.
| Size | 40–51 cm (half of it tail) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 52–60 cm |
| Weight | 160–250 g |
| Diet | Insects, seeds, fruit, small animals |
| Eggs | 5–7 |
| Where to see it | Parks, gardens, fields; all year |
The magpie is from the crow family too, so it's very smart. It's one of the few animals shown to recognize itself in a mirror. For a long time people thought only humans and great apes could do that.
There's a belief that "magpies steal shiny things". Research says that's not really true. They are actually a bit wary of new, shiny things.
Their nests are a project of their own. They build a big ball of branches, cover the top with a dome and leave an entrance on the side. The dome protects the eggs from crows and birds of prey.
When they see a cat or a bird of prey, they shout "chak-chak-chak" and let the whole neighborhood know. If you hear this call in your garden, look around, because something is up.
To draw it in DrawBird
Start like in the sparrow lesson, but add a thin tail behind it as long as the body. Make the head and back black, and the belly and the shoulder of the wing white.
Drawing lesson: How to draw a sparrow →
Other birds
- Rock dove
The ancestor of the pigeons waiting for food in the square is the rock dove. It still live… - Barn swallow
A summer guest with a forked tail that builds mud nests under the eaves of barns and porch… - Common swift
Sickle-winged birds that circle around minarets screaming on summer evenings. They spend a…