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Red Billed Magpie? (1 Viewer)

Johnny1

Well-known member
I was out walking my dog this morning when I spotted a Magpie (Pica pica) perched on a fence post about 25 yards away, normally I wouldn't have given it a second look but for the fact that it had a bright redish orange bill, it was an adult bird with immaculate plumage apart from the red bill... very similar in colour to an Oystercatchers. Although I didn't have my camera with me I did have my bins and got a good look at it for about 30 seconds.
Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I've discouted the bill being stained by red berries as they just wouldn't stain the black bill this colour red.
 
Can you remember the exact pattern of the red?

Was the whole of the hard part of the bill red (as in the left hand pic)? - if yes, then the bill probably really was that colour.

Or was it to a defined cut-off point, perhaps not covering the whole of the bill, but perhaps also covering some feathers (as in the right hand pic)? - if yes, then it had probably got some red paint or something on its bill.

Michael

PS to Ian: hope you won't mind my using your Magpie pic from the Gallery!
 
It was just the bill that was red, the rest of it's plumage was immaculate, I know there must be some rational explanation for it but I'm at a loss to explain it. The Magpie's here are very wary of people as they are shot allong with any other corvids. I'll take my camera with me next time.
 
A friend of mine has seen a Raven witha bright red bill in Iceland, he thought he was looking at Iceland's first Chough for a split second. No-one had any explanation for that bird either.

E
 
I wonder if these birds think that red paint is blood and dip their beaks in only to find it's not. Their sense of smell wouldn't really help them as it's not really very good.
 
Yes Michael like the left hand pic. No it definately wasn't lipstick nobody wears THAT shade of red any more!
I spent about an hour this morning searching for it, I took my camera this time, although I saw 14 magpies I didn't see the one with the red bill.
 
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