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GrasslandDomed nestMedium · 177 g
What the Black-billed Magpie sounds like
ID tip
The black-billed magpie is an unmistakable bird within its range. It is a medium-sized bird that measures 45–60 cm (18–24 in) from tip to tail. It is largely black, with white scapulars, belly, and primaries, and the wings and tail are an iridescent blue-green. The tail is made up of long, layered feathers, the middle pair of which extend further than the rest. The beak is uniformly black, oblong, and weakly curved toward the tip. Adults also have black irises. Voice: The vocalizations of the black-billed magpie consist of a number of calls variously described as tweets, coos, purrs, shrills and squawks, but the most common is an alarm call, called a chatter, that is described as a ka-ka-ka-ka, sometimes preceded with a skah-skah. This call is very different from that of the Eurasian magpie, but is similar to that of the yellow-billed magpie.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Black-billed Magpie
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Black-billed Magpie
The map shades 2 countries with regular records, and 2 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Singapore, United Kingdom.
About the Black-billed Magpie
The black-billed magpie, also known as the American magpie, is a bird in the corvid family found in the western half of North America. It is black and white, with the wings and tail showing black areas and iridescent hints of blue and blue-green. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of Pica pica, but was separated as a species in its own in 2000 based on genetic studies.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Oriental MagpiePica sericaIt is 45 cm long.
Yellow-billed MagpiePica nuttalliiIt is a medium-sized corvid, at 43–54 centimeters (17–21 in) long averaging slightly smaller than the black-billed magpie's 45–60 cm (18–24 in) but overlapping with it.
Maghreb MagpiePica mauritanicaThe Maghreb magpie is around 48 cm long, similar in plumage to the widespread Eurasian magpie, but with the distinct patch of vivid blue bare skin behind the eye and on the lower eye lid.
Side by side: Black-billed Magpie vs Eurasian Magpie · Black-billed Magpie vs Oriental Magpie · Black-billed Magpie vs Yellow-billed Magpie · Black-billed Magpie vs Maghreb Magpie
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