THE ANIMAL FILES

Eurasian magpie

Pica pica

A stick dome shelters more than a black-and-white bird.

The Eurasian magpie's long tail and dark iridescence are visible from outside its nest. Inside, a stick framework, earth and fine roots form a substantial breeding structure. Its diet ranges from seeds and fruit to invertebrates and carrion.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Eurasian magpie
Image: Rhododendrites · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Black with a sheen
Dark feathers show green and violet sheen.[1]
Building a dome
Sticks and earth form the nest framework.[1]
An omnivorous menu
Plant and animal foods both contribute.[1]

Black with a sheen

The head, wings and tail combine glossy dark regions with white belly and shoulder patches. Young birds have shorter tails and less developed gloss than adults. Variation in white areas and sheen also occurs across the species' range.[1]

Building a dome

Nests often sit in upper tree forks. Sticks are bound with earth and clay, finer roots line the interior, and an overhead dome of branches leaves a concealed entrance. Bushes or hedges can also be used where suitable sites differ.[1]

An omnivorous menu

Insects, small animals, eggs, carrion, grain and other plant material occur in its diet. Magpies can therefore obtain food from both animal and plant sources.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Is every adult-looking magpie tail equally long from the start?

No. Young birds have shorter tails and less glossy plumage.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

What does the branch dome add to the nest's construction?

Reveal the explanation

It creates an overhead covering while leaving a concealed access opening.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Eurasian magpie (cited revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Pica pica

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Blue jayBlue feathers can be blue without blue pigment.Cyanocitta cristata ↗Western jackdawA pair can stay together inside a much larger flock.Coloeus monedula ↗Common ravenA raven may hide today’s surplus for a later meal.Corvus corax ↗