Bird File

Chinese Name: Magpie

English Name: Eurasian Magpie

Bird Description:

Magpie (scientific name: Pica pica, English name: Eurasian Magpie), also known as magpies, magpies, flying barge birds, dry magpies, Goddess of God, belonging to the order Sparrowidae Crowidae Magpie is a species of the genus Magpie. The magpie is a typical black and white bird, with a large body, mostly black feathers and white shoulders and belly. Magpies are aggressive, not afraid of raptors, and often chase away birds, including raptors, that enter their territory, and surround and bully other birds in clusters. Magpies tend to live in areas where people live, and prefer to eat grains and insects. Magpies Make a melodious sound. In Chinese folklore, magpies are used as a symbol of good luck. The legend of the meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden at the Bridge of the Magpies and the custom of drawing magpies as an omen of good luck are both popular in folklore. Magpies have a high IQ, and according to Wikipedia, they are the only non-mammal to have passed the mirror test (figuring out that the image in the mirror is itself).

Scientific information

Classification: order Passeriformes (finches), family Corvidae (crows), genus Pica (magpies)

Geographic Distribution: Breeding area: Palaearctic : Widespread, also nw Africa

Conservation level: China's three protected birds

Color characteristics: Primary plumage color: black|black|; Secondary plumage color: white|white|

Genus information (may or may not be available): None.

Physical Characteristics:

Magpies are very large, often reaching 45-50 centimeters in length. Typical black and white birds, its head, neck, chest, back, waist are black, slightly bluish-purple metallic luster; shoulder feathers, upper and lower abdomen are white; flight feathers and tail feathers are nearly black dark green, with a bright green metallic luster. The white tips of the wings are visible in flight, and the white area of the species' back is visible in flight forming a V-shape.

Juvenile: Plumage is similar to that of the adult, but the black plumage is partly tinged with brown, and the metallic sheen is not prominent.

Iris - brown; beak - black; feet - black.

The magpie's call is a monotonous "chi chi chi". When in danger, they make a continuous, rapid "chi, chi, chi ......" alarm sound.

Differences between similar bird species

Differences between magpies and magpie robins: In some cities in southern China, there are few magpies, but there are magpie robins (commonly known as Sihi), another bird in the bird family Pachycephalidae, which is a long-tailed, black-and-white bird (magpie robins are gray in females instead of black in males), which is mistaken by many for magpies. The difference between the two is:

(1) There is a huge difference in body shape, the magpie robin is only about 20 centimeters long, less than half the length of a magpie. This is the most obvious identifying feature.

(2) The magpie is a member of the crow family, and has many of the same characteristics as the crow family: a large body, thick mouth. The magpie robin has a distinctly small beak.

(3) Although they are both black and white, magpies have white shoulder feathers, while magpie robins have a long white patch on their wings.

(4) The magpie robin is active and likes to move its tail up and down, while the magpie does not have this habit.

Habitat:

Magpies are birds with strong adaptive ability, in the mountains, plains are inhabited, whether it is the wilderness, farmland, suburbs, the city can see their silhouette. However, a general rule is that the more human activities, the greater the number of magpie populations tend to be, while in the rare dense forests, it is difficult to see the figure of this species. Magpies often move in large pairs, foraging in open fields during the day and roosting in the tops of tall trees at night.

Food

The magpie is an omnivorous bird, enjoying a variety of foods such as insects, garbage and plants. During the breeding season, it preys on locusts, mole crickets, tigresses, tortoiseshells, moth larvae, frogs and other small animals, and it also steals and eats the eggs and chicks of other birds, and eats melons, fruits, grains, and plant seeds. Magpies are beneficial birds, because this species and the same family of crows are very diverse birds of prey, so in many areas of the drug anti-rodent often involve these birds in vain.

The magpie is a ferocious, aggressive bird of prey, and has been known to mob and chase away birds of prey. In literature and traditional thought, the magpie is a symbol of joy and good fortune. However, it is notorious in the natural world and deserves to be called a "super raptor". The magpie is extremely survivable and will eat anything! Urban and rural countryside, high-rise buildings, wetlands and deserts, all see its shadow. Not only do they eat poultry and capture birds, but they are also the natural enemy of squirrels.

The magpies have a very strong sense of territory, they will expel any incoming enemy, as few as two or three, more than a dozen, for the buzzard, eagle, buzzard and other large raptors more than a siege but not attack strategy. Large raptors want to prey on magpies, can only choose to single, otherwise angry magpies, they will attack the group. After a fierce battle, the raptors are likely to suffer serious injury, or even death.

Growth and reproduction:

The magpies start to reproduce early, in mild climates, generally in early March, that is, to start nesting and breeding; in cold climates, more in the middle and late March began to reproduce, and lasted until May.

Nesting

Usually nest in pine, poplar, quercus, elm, willow, walnut and other tall trees, sometimes also in the village near the highway next to the tree nest, and even in the high-voltage electric pole nest. Nesting is undertaken by both male and female birds***. Nests are mainly built from dead tree branches and clay bonded into the magpie's nest nearly spherical, with a roof, the outer layer of dead tree branches, mixed with weeds and soil, the inner layer of fine branches and soil, padded with hemp, fibers, grass roots, moss, animal hair and feathers and other soft materials. The nest is 7-15 meters high from the ground, and the size of the nest is 48-85 centimeters in outer diameter, 18-35 centimeters in inner diameter, and 44-60 centimeters in height. The entrance and exit are oval in shape with a diameter of 9-11 cm × 10-15 cm, and open slightly below the side. Nesting time 20-30 days. Magpies create new nests every year and have a habit of building suspicious nests, i.e., building many empty nests around the nests they actually use that are not in use, a behavior that may be a coping strategy against the nest parasitism of other birds.

Egg-laying

Egg-laying begins as soon as the nest is constructed, with 5 to 8 eggs per clutch, sometimes as many as 11, and 1 egg per day, mostly in the early morning. Eggs are light blue-green, blue, gray or off-white, adorned with brown or black spots, and are ovoid or oblong-ovoid, 23-26 mm × 32-38 mm, 24.3 mm × 34.5 mm on average, and weigh 9-13 grams. Incubation of eggs begins as soon as the eggs are laid, and the female bird incubates the eggs for 17±1 days.

Fledgling

Fledgling late sex, just hatched chicks naked, pink, male and female parent birds **** the same brood, 30 days or so chicks can leave the nest.

Geographic distribution:

The magpie is a widely distributed bird in the whole northern world, the species can be seen in most of Europe and Asia, and can also be seen in the northern part of Africa and the western part of North America; in China, the common subspecies of the magpie can be seen throughout the country and is a very widely distributed species; however, in some cities in southern China, due to reasons that are still unclear, the magpies and sparrows can be found everywhere in the 1980s and gradually disappeared after that. However, in some cities in southern China, magpies and sparrows, which used to be found everywhere, have gradually disappeared since the 1980s for reasons that are not yet clear.

Range: Eurasia, North Africa, western Canada and western California, USA.

Distribution: This bird is widespread and common in China, where it is believed to bring good luck and is often not hunted. The subspecies bactriana occurs in northern and western Xinjiang and northwestern Tibet; bottanensis in southern, southeastern, and eastern Tibet to western Sichuan and Qinghai; leucoptera in the Hulunchi area of northeastern Nei Mongol; and sericea in other parts of China, including Taiwan and Hainan Island.

Subspecies differentiation

There are many subspecies of magpies, and traditionally it has been thought that the magpies distributed in Europe, Asia, and North America are the same species, Pica pica, but recently some scholars have argued that the North American subspecies of magpies is related to the magpies in the same geographical area as the magpies belonging to another species of yellow-billed magpie, and that it should become a species of its own, Pica nuttalli, and it has been pointed out that the common subspecies is very widely distributed in East Asia, and that it has been found to be the most widespread in China. It has also been pointed out that in East Asia, the widely distributed common subspecies (Pica pica sericea Gould) is more distantly related to the magpies distributed in Europe, and should be listed as a separate species.

Conservation status:

Three protected birds in China.

Cultural Connotation:

Magpie Culture

The magpie, with its melodious voice, has been welcomed by people since ancient times. It is said in the Avian Scriptures that "people are happy to hear their voices". In the Song Dynasty, Ouyang Xiu wrote a poem in praise of the magpie: "Fresh feathers shine brightly, red powder wall green woods; warm sun and wind, soft words, should be happy to report the master know." Where magpies to report happiness, spring, or harmonic, allegorical form of ceramic art works, are the source of Zhenrui traditional themes.

Magpie culture is one of the important symbols of Chinese culture. Legend has it that magpie culture originated in China in the Spring and Autumn Period. But unearthed in China's Qinghai Province, Ledu County unearthed a "Liuwan culture" on the magpie pattern of colored pots, magpie culture is not originated in the Spring and Autumn period, but originated in the primitive society of the Qinghai Plateau. Magpie culture continues to this day, penetrating into almost every aspect of human social life and forming a complete cultural system, becoming an important part of Chinese folk culture. Magpie culture has had a wide and profound impact on Chinese social life. Despite its various forms of expression as a culture, its root is that human beings endow magpies with the meaning of celebration, good luck and good fortune, and venerate magpies, and put their heart's good wishes and emotions on magpies.

The culture of magpies caters to the psychological characteristics of human beings who have been emphasizing good fortune and good luck in everything since ancient times. In particular, the Chinese people have long been concerned about festivity, good luck and good fortune, which is why magpie culture is very prevalent in China. Magpies have been a favorite bird since ancient times and are a symbol of good luck and good fortune. During wedding ceremonies in rural areas, magpies are often used to decorate the new house with cut-outs and stickers. Magpies are also a very common theme in Chinese paintings, and they often appear in traditional Chinese poems and couplets.

Magpies and Legends

The Chinese people use the magpie as a symbol of good luck. There are many beautiful myths and legends about it. Legend has it that the magpie can announce good news. In the legend, only on the seventh day of the seventh month every year, magpies are not seen, are flying up to the river to build a bridge, so that the Cowherd and Weaving Maiden will meet. The custom of drawing magpies as an omen of happiness is very popular in Chinese folklore, and there are various kinds of magpies: two magpies facing each other is called "happy meeting"; two magpies with an ancient coin is called "happy in front of your eyes"; a badger and a magpie looking at each other up and down the tree is called "happy sky and happy land". A badger and a magpie looking at each other from tree to tree is called "Joyful Heaven and Earth". The most widely circulated is the picture of a magpie on a branch of a plum tree, which is also known as "joy on the brow".

Scientific research (optional): None.

Other:

Magpies and crows

In our daily life, especially in the countryside, the contact with birds is very much, so the birds have different emotions: for example, the "Avian Classic" said magpies, "up the song of the yin, down the song of the rain, the sound of the people hear it is happy"; on the other hand, the crows, people are very disgusted with it. On the other hand, for the crow, people are so disgusted with it that when they hear its voice, they spit and stutter, saying that it will cause trouble. Why do you have such a favorable impression of magpies? Do magpies really announce good news? And why the hatred of crows? And do crows really cause trouble?

The magpie is a common bird, found in the foothills and forest margins, on trees, rooftops and crop fields around villages and cities. Early in the morning, they often fly in pairs or flocks to the open ground, fields and gardens in search of food, is a class of omnivorous birds. According to a survey conducted by scientists in Nanjing and Hunan, more than 80% of a magpie's annual diet consists of insects that harm crops, such as locusts, mole crickets, tortoiseshells, moth larvae or pine caterpillars, while 15% consists of cereals and plant seeds, and also eats small birds, snails, melons and seeds of weeds. Therefore, magpies are very beneficial to humans. Hardworking farmers, working in the fields in the early morning, see magpies in pairs jumping and chasing pests in the fields and grasses, and will not avoid humans, it will become fond of it, and its loud and monotonous chirping is also a metaphor for good omen. The ancient book of "Miscellany of Xijing" has a sentence like "dry magpie noise and pedestrians to", which must be the reason for the legend of the magpie announcing good news.

As for the crows, they are the same as magpies, belonging to the same bird-like family of crows, and are also common birds in the plains, farming areas, villages, and urban forests. They often flock in groups during the day, foraging for food in farmland, grassy beaches, and roadside garbage piles, with a wide range of diets, with some species favoring carcasses. According to a survey conducted in 1956-1958 in Changli, Hebei Province, and the suburbs of Beijing, the proportion of their food varies at different times of the year. For example, in the spring and summer breeding seasons when there are many insects, the main food is mole crickets, locusts, golden turtles and lepidopterous insects, which is favorable to the growth of crops. In the spring and fall ripening seasons, they also go to the fields to look for grain seeds and seedlings, and grains left along the ridges and roads, which is not too harmful, and is also good for cleaning. However, when people hear its harsh and monotonous calls, see its dark plumage and its frequent circling around rotten things, or its restlessness in the trees, it gives them an unpleasant feeling, and they regard it as an ominous bird. In fact, if you take care to get rid of it in the spring, it can be regarded as an insectivorous bird from the point of view of its year-round diet.

Therefore, magpies and crows are all superstitious folk legends without scientific basis.

References (sources):

[1]. Magpies - the infamous 'superbirds': /posts/40480

[2]. Photography: Magpies and Magpie Robins: /showtopic-454647.aspx

[4].Mirror test#Birds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_test#Birds