tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post368362525293935409..comments2024-02-06T10:31:24.491-07:00Comments on Watching the World Wake Up: Magpies Part 1: The BasicsWatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02248341788957416471noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-87691626951776679772020-06-05T19:39:45.080-06:002020-06-05T19:39:45.080-06:00Have a pair nesting in the blue spurce in my backy...Have a pair nesting in the blue spurce in my backyard. I've had tons of time, quarantined at home due to Covid-19. Now, I'm unemployed as a result= more time to observe the magpies at work. They have 4 fledglings now and are stellar parents to say the least. All of their behavior is exactly as you described, from nest building on. They are omnivores that's for sure and I've seen them attack and kill baby rabbits and even morning doves (once!). Thanks for the great read.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05802552377306268789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-64280962411446071202020-05-19T08:57:10.490-06:002020-05-19T08:57:10.490-06:00I have been watching the strangest thing - for the...I have been watching the strangest thing - for the past few days three magpies working together on one nest! Anyone else observe anything like this? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08411438679545278986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-22416377913208502512014-09-06T21:38:52.513-06:002014-09-06T21:38:52.513-06:00We were fascinated by your article about Maggies n...We were fascinated by your article about Maggies nests. My husband and I walk early in the morning and befriended a magpie family- they had a little guy which we named 'Jimmy'. Initially <br />when he flew to us for some minced meat, his mother & father would go ballistic screeching, and swooping, but after a few times, they started to trust us and joined Jimmy each morning for a little snack. We became very, very fond of these 3 little guys who were so happy to see us each morning- it also made the walk so much more enjoyable. One day though, about 6 months down the track, they did not appear- we were puzzled until I spotted a flattened pile of black & white feathers in the road- it was our Jimmy- we were devastated. Mummy & Daddy bird were despondent and hardly ate anything for days- that was 5 months ago- and I'm happy to say, that breeding time is here again and we are hoping for a little Jimmy 11 or a Gemma -we do hope that they still trust us enough with their new babies.pollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07423085064057906389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-88709452301241425812014-05-19T14:13:10.801-06:002014-05-19T14:13:10.801-06:00I just came across this blog page, because I was s...I just came across this blog page, because I was searching for 'magpie nest' and this came up. Love the graphics, info and photos lol. About their tail - I have also wondered why it's so long since they don't seem to fly well with it, tho it's pretty. After years of feeding them at my house in CO, I believe it is for strutting around during the breeding season and sticking it straight up in the air while puffing their body feathers out. They seem to do this in groups, then sometimes I see them get pissy with each other afterwards. Like how deer/elk males who have the biggest antlers usually 'win'. I'm not sure, but this is the only thing I've seen them do with their tails besides flair it out all fancy when landing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-83997782066526631722013-05-30T11:24:56.720-06:002013-05-30T11:24:56.720-06:00Early yesterday evening I heard major magpie commo...Early yesterday evening I heard major magpie commotion in my neighbor's backyard, and saw the neighbor's dog standing over a magpie fluttering on the ground. I hopped the fence, called the dog off and picked up the injured bird which was on his back. He tried flying away but ended up in my yard and on his back again. His wing looked a little bloody right at the "armpit" - the point where the wing attaches to the body. It was too late to call a wildlife rehabilitator, so I made him a box lined with straw and put him in it along with some water and ground seeds and some grubs and kept him indoors for the night. He appeared to be quiet and sleeping with his head tucked to the side when I went to bed, his beak about an inch away from the water dish. I was intending to take him up to Ogden this morning (I'm in SLC) but he died during the night. :( Oh well.sb10https://www.blogger.com/profile/01391069316427376726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-23131731605741000342009-11-18T23:28:21.235-07:002009-11-18T23:28:21.235-07:00Awesome nesting graphic. I feel like I just watch...Awesome nesting graphic. I feel like I just watched a magpie pair nesting in my backyard after viewing that graphic.Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10896006691904225007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-67679714823563798042009-11-18T16:08:27.802-07:002009-11-18T16:08:27.802-07:00Layne- yes it was (dead). Click on the Feet photo;...Layne- yes it was (dead). Click on the Feet photo; the caption at the bottom tells the story.Watcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02248341788957416471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-21416559755386453482009-11-18T15:42:36.562-07:002009-11-18T15:42:36.562-07:00Maybe magpies aren't so bad after all. No, tha...Maybe magpies aren't so bad after all. No, that is some really interesting stuff about them. Surprising that they nest in the same trees as some of their predators.<br /><br />Also, is that a dead magpie that you are taking pictures of?Laynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09345890590780913462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-946084351637626732009-11-16T22:37:06.333-07:002009-11-16T22:37:06.333-07:00KKris- I think Magpies are still regarded as pests...KKris- I think Magpies are still regarded as pests, particular by the older generation. I was taking one of the nest shots Saturday, and the neighbor (an older woman) came out and started going off about how little she cared for them...<br /><br />RSP- "Holstein Crows"- good one!<br /><br />KB- I came across 3 possible explanations for the length of the tail: 1) It helps them fly up or dodge quickly, which might help them in harassing other birds to snatch their food, or weaving in, through and around branches and thickets. 2) It helps them balance when hopping/walking on the ground or branches. 3) It’s a sexual selection thing, indicating some other aspect(s) of health/fitness. (I was a little dubious of this last one, because both males and females have long tales…)<br /><br />I’ve noticed that many Grackles (<i>Quiscalus</i>) (which I see sometimes down in St. George, as well as Central America when I travel down there), which aren’t corvids and are not closely-related to Magpies, have similar long tails and overall form. A future post idea I have floating around is to figure out what convergent selection pressures (if any) brought about their common morphology.<br /><br />Researching Part 2 I thought I’d read every clever Magpie story out there, but the showing up for hunting season is a new one!<br /><br />mtb w- The teenage male analogy is a good one. Interestingly I've heard teenaged males used as analogs for several things, my favorite of which was UFOs: a friend suggested that the only way UFOs could be real was if they were piloted by teenaged aliens, as only that would explain their odd behavior!Watcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02248341788957416471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-42436772068226217362009-11-16T22:21:57.894-07:002009-11-16T22:21:57.894-07:00Magpies are really quite amazing. Kind of like te...Magpies are really quite amazing. Kind of like teenage males - they like new shiny things and sometimes live off their hosts (parents) and can be real pests. JK. BTW, after those awesome graphics, I tried googling magpie nests but came up with weird results. <br /><br />mtb wAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-55689698983507435572009-11-16T21:18:02.381-07:002009-11-16T21:18:02.381-07:00I keep wondering about their tail, and what role i...I keep wondering about their tail, and what role it plays. I thought that someone was hot onto the answer to this by studying their flight - but a lit search showed that it was a dead end. Did you find anything about that?<br /><br />I live at 8000 ft in a conifer forest, and the only time of year when the magpies visit my house is hunting season. Believe it or not, they show up a day or two early (do they have hunting season calenders?). Then, they linger a few extra days before moving to nearby meadows.<br /><br />Very cool graphics about the nest!KBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16885661679762446456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-43107668323723653502009-11-16T12:30:58.369-07:002009-11-16T12:30:58.369-07:00I've always liked the name "Holstein Crow...I've always liked the name "Holstein Crows"<br />Rainbow SpiritUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15519877134339845534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199848742267562587.post-74254881952803341582009-11-16T10:18:18.301-07:002009-11-16T10:18:18.301-07:00When I was a kid Magpies were viewed as pests and ...When I was a kid Magpies were viewed as pests and were routinely shot, even though they were protected in 1918. My sense is attitudes toward Magpies have improved as have their numbers.<br /><br />Thanks for increasing my understanding of this bird. Looking forward to tomorrow's post.KanyonKrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954169751206336705noreply@blogger.com