From Opus

Alternative Name: Common Magpie

Photo by henkdikkers

Pica pica

[edit] Identification

Black head, neck, breast and back. Prominent white side patches and belly
Wings and tail, whilst looking black in certain lights, are actually bluey-green and purple
Very long tail, diamond-shaped when spread out.

[edit] Distribution

Europe and Asia. Whilst there are 'pockets' (notably Edinburgh and Aberdeen), it is absent from most parts of Scotland.

Photo by teodor

[edit] Taxonomy

This species was formerly considered conspecific with Black-billed Magpie P. hudsonia.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

About 12 subspecies are recognized:

• P. p. pica:

• British Isles, southern Scandinavia, central and eastern Europe to Asia Minor

• P. p. fennorum:

• Northern Scandinavia and western Russia

• P. p. galliae:

• Western Europe to Balkans

• P. p. melanotos:

• Iberian Peninsula

• P. p. mauretanica:

• North-eastern Mauritania to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia

• P. p. asirensis:

• Assir Mountains (south-western Arabia)

• P. p. bactriana:

• Central Russia to northern India and western Tibet

• P. p. hemileucoptera:

• Western and southern Siberia to Outer Mongolia

• P. p. leucoptera:

• Southern Transbaicalia to eastern Mongolia and Altai Mountains

• P. p. camtschatica:

• Northern shores of Sea of Okhotsk to Kamchatka Peninsula

• P. p. bottanensis:

• Eastern Himalayas to south-eastern Tibet and western China (Qinghai and Xinjiang)

• P. p. sericea:

• Southern China to Myanmar, Indochina, Hainan and Taiwan

This is a thread discussing possible splits from this group of subspecies, with sericea and bottanensis the strongest contenders(?).

[edit] Habitat

Farmland and open country. Also town gardens and parks.

[edit] Behaviour

Walks and will hop sideways.

[edit] Flight

Quick, with deep, fast, even wing beats. Short glides.

[edit] Breeding

Builds a domed nest in tall trees, or hedgerows which often contains shiny objects

[edit] Vocalisation

Harsh "chack, chack, chack".

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
3. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
4. Collins Field Guid 5th Edition

[edit] External Links

This link searches for "Common Magpie"