Black-billed Magpie Images, Facts and Information:
Pica hudsonia
- Black-billed Magpies have bold black and white plumage with a very long tail, some areas of their plumage have blue, purple and green iridescence that can be seen in the right light. They are slightly larger than jays.
- Black-billed Magpies are from the corvid family and are very intelligent.
- Black-billed Magpies can be found throughout much of western North America and are not migratory.
- Black-billed Magpies can use scent to locate food. They consume a wide variety of food and will scavenge carrion. Black-billed Magpies eat fruits, grains, insects, small mammals and they will also raid nests of other birds to eat the young and eggs and they will perch on large mammals like Bison to pick insects off of them.
- Black-billed Magpies lay 7 to 13 eggs which take between 16 to 21 days to hatch. Their nests can take a long time to build because they generally build a dome over it to protect their young from aerial predators. The nests are constructed with sticks, mud or manure and they line it with grasses. They are monogamous.
- Black-billed Magpies prefer open habitats such as prairies, grasslands, meadows, foothills and sagebrush steppes that offer some cover in the form of shrubs or trees. They adapt well to suburban habitats.
- A group of magpies can be called a “tribe”, “tittering”, “gulp”, “charm” and a “mischief” of magpies.
- Black-billed Magpies can live up to 15 years.
I hope you enjoy viewing my Black-billed Magpie photos.
Black-billed Magpie juvenile in sage
Title: Black-billed Magpie juvenile in sage
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 5/31/2011
Black-billed Magpie displaying
Title: Black-billed Magpie displaying
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/31/2011
Magpie lifting off towards the nest
Title: Magpie lifting off towards the nest
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/10/2011
Black-billed Magpie landing with nesting materials
Title: Black-billed Magpie landing with nesting materials
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/10/2011
Black-billed Magpie lifting off with nesting material
Title: Black-billed Magpie lifting off with nesting material
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/10/2011
Black-billed Magpie building a nest after a snow
Title: Black-billed Magpie building a nest after a snow
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/8/2011
Black-billed Magpie on top of nest
Title: Black-billed Magpie on top of nest
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with a beak filled with mud
Title: Black-billed Magpie with a beak filled with mud
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with wings down
Title: Black-billed Magpie with wings down
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie landing
Title: Black-billed Magpie landing
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with down swept wings
Title: Black-billed Magpie with down swept wings
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie leaving the nest
Title: Black-billed Magpie leaving the nest
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with wings fully spread
Title: Black-billed Magpie with wings fully spread
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with a twig
Title: Black-billed Magpie with a twig
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with nesting material, Utah
Title: Black-billed Magpie with nesting material, Utah
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie landing with nesting material
Title: Black-billed Magpie landing with nesting material
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with wings spread
Title: Black-billed Magpie with wings spread
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie taking off
Title: Black-billed Magpie taking off
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/15/2010
Black-billed Magpie with mud filled bill in flight
Title: Black-billed Magpie with mud filled bill in flight
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/12/2010
Side view of a Black-billed Magpie
Title: Side view of a Black-billed Magpie
Location: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/12/2010