Magnificent Magpies

Iridescent green and blue. White wing patches. An extremely long tail. He flies through the grasslands, on his way to the feeding grounds. When he gets there, he begins to peck for insects in the grass. Do you know what he is? He is a magpie.

The Black-billed Magpie is a medium-sized bird that lives from Alaska to

California, and east to the Great Plains. We have found that these birds are most abundant in Colorado and Wyoming, mainly in open fields and scrublands. A magpie’s diet includes grain, insects, and rodents. They will also eat ticks and maggots off of livestock.

What to look for: Look for a crow-sized, black-and-white bird with iridescent blue and green on the wings and tail. Magpies also have very long tails. The nest is a dome set in a bush or tree, with a cup nest inside.

Fun Fact: Captive magpies have been trained to imitate the human voice!

Magpies have been created by an all-powerful, holy God. This same God created you and cares about you. He sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins! Jesus was buried, then rose from the dead, defeating death. You must turn from your sin and believe that Jesus has died in your place. You must accept His free gift of everlasting life!

Photos by Daniel Venturo

Information from: Bull, John, John Farrand, Jr., Amanda Wilson, Lori Hogan. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds Eastern Region. Revised ed. Revised by John Farrand, Jr. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.