![]() The tail is made up of long, layered feathers, the middle pair of which protrude farthest of all. The black-billed magpie is a mid-sized bird that measures 45–60 centimeters (18–24 in) from tip to tail. ![]() ![]() A comparatively low genetic difference, however, suggests that some gene flow between the black-billed and yellow-billed magpies still occurred during interglacial periods until the Pleistocene.ĭescription Back view showing dark blue-green feathers Fossil evidence indicates that the ancestral North American magpie had arrived in its current range around the mid- Pliocene (3–4 mya) and that the yellow-billed magpie lineage split off rather soon thereafter due to the Sierra Nevada uplift and the beginning ice ages. It appears that after the ancestral magpie spread over Eurasia, the Korean population became isolated, at which point the species crossed the Bering Land Bridge and colonized North America, where the two American magpies then differentiated. If this view is correct, the Korean subspecies of the European magpie, Pica pica sericea, should also be considered a separate species. hudsonia), on the grounds that its mtDNA sequence is closer to that of California's yellow-billed magpie ( Pica nuttalli) than to the Eurasian magpie. The American Ornithologists' Union, however, splits it as a separate species ( P. Taxonomy and systematics In Yellowstone Bear World (near Idaho Falls, Idaho)Įxternally, the black-billed magpie is almost identical to the Eurasian magpie ( Pica pica), and is considered conspecific by many sources. Incubation, by the female only, starts when the clutch is complete, and lasts 16–21 days. The black-billed magpie is one of the few North American birds that build a domed nest, which is made up of twigs and sits near the top of trees, usually housing 6–7 eggs. The species also walks or hops on the ground, where it obtains food items such as beetles, grasshoppers, worms, and small rodents. Large predators such as wolves are commonly followed by black-billed magpies, who scavenge from their kills. Historically associated with bison herds, it now lands on the backs of cattle to glean ticks and insects from them. Where persecuted it becomes very wary, but otherwise it is fairly tolerant of human presence. It can therefore be found in farmlands and suburban areas, where it comes into regular contact with people. This species prefers generally open habitats with clumps of trees. It is one of only four North American songbirds whose tail makes up half or more of the total body length (the others being the yellow-billed magpie, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, and the fork-tailed flycatcher). It is black and white, with black areas on the wings and tail showing iridescent hints of blue or blue-green. The black-billed magpie ( Pica hudsonia), also known as the American magpie, is a bird in the corvid family found in the western half of North America.
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