Field guide · common
Magpie
The iridescent corvid, bold, clever, and one of the few birds that recognises itself in a mirror.
Least Concern
Pica pica
Overview
The magpie is impossible to ignore: a long-tailed corvid in black and white, with blue-green iridescence flashing on wing and tail in sunlight. Loud, confident, and conspicuous, magpies patrol suburban streets and woodland edge with the swagger of a bird that knows exactly how smart it is.
Magpies belong to the crow family and share its intelligence: they can solve puzzles, remember faces, and, remarkably, recognise their own reflection in a mirror, a test most animals fail. Love them or find them raucous, they are a defining common discovery of British neighbourhoods.
- Scientific namePica pica
- Length44–46 cm (half is tail)
- Weight200–250 g
- Lifespan3–5 years in the wild typical; some reach 15+ years
- DietOmnivore
- ConservationLeast Concern
- RegionWoodland & Suburbs
Habitat
- Farmland
- Parks
- Gardens
- Woodland edge
Magpies live throughout the United Kingdom in woodland, farmland, parks, and suburbs. They nest in tall trees, a domed stick structure with a side entrance, and forage on the ground for insects, small mammals, eggs, and scraps.
Countries found
Field notes
Field scale for the Magpie: length around 44-46 cm (half is tail); weight 200-250 g. Typical lifespan: 3-5 years in the wild typical; some reach 15+ years.
When you are scanning habitat, prioritise farmland, parks, gardens, and woodland edge. Those settings are where a clean look and a usable photo are most likely.
Quick ID anchor: Unmistakable long-tailed black-and-white bird with glossy green-purple iridescence on the wings and tail. White scapulars and belly contrast sharply with the black head and breast. Confirm with behaviour and habitat before you log the discovery.
Diet
Omnivores taking invertebrates, carrion, grain, fruit, and bird eggs or nestlings in spring. Also scavenge roadside scraps and garden waste.
Behaviour
Intelligent, bold corvids often seen in pairs or family groups. Build bulky domed nests in tall trees; known for noisy chatter and playful aerial chases.
How to identify
Unmistakable long-tailed black-and-white bird with glossy green-purple iridescence on the wings and tail. White scapulars and belly contrast sharply with the black head and breast.
Interesting facts
- 01
Magpies are one of the few birds that can recognise themselves in a mirror.
- 02
Their nests are covered domes of sticks with a single side entrance.
- 03
Magpies have a reputation for collecting shiny objects, though studies suggest this is mostly myth.
- 04
They belong to the crow family, alongside jays, rooks, and ravens.
- 05
A group of magpies is called a parliament, or a mischief, depending on who you ask.
- 06
Their chattering call is one of the most recognisable sounds of a suburban morning.
Conservation status
Magpies are Least Concern and have increased in UK farmland and suburbs over recent decades. They are sometimes blamed for songbird declines, though habitat loss is the primary driver, magpies remain a common and conspicuous British bird.
Sources: IUCN Red List
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