- Magpies occur throughout the British Isles, but are absent from the
Highlands, and almost all the Scottish Islands.
- Experts believe that there are more than 600,000 magpie territories
in Britain.
- Magpies were absent from Ireland until the end of the 17th century.
There are now an estimated 320,000 territories there.
- The magpie is a cosmopolitan bird, its range extending from Portugal
to Korea. It also occurs in North Africa, and in parts of western USA
and Canada.
- In some areas in Europe, large numbers of magpies are killed by goshawks.
- In southern Europe, great spotted cuckoos lay their eggs in magpie
nests, and reduce the magpies' breeding success.
- It takes a pair of magpies around 40 days to build their large, domed
nest.
- A typical magpie clutch is six eggs.
- Only the female magpie incubates the eggs - it takes 24 days for them
to hatch.
- Young magpies leave the nest around 27 days after hatching.
- Magpies are omnivorous, eating a wide variety of food, ranging from
grain and fruit to carrion.
- Magpies have been recorded catching and killing frogs, lizards, snakes,
bats, mice, voles and even rabbits, as well as small birds.
- Magpies will cache surplus food during times of plenty.
- Magpies build large, domed nests in trees. Nest-building is part
of courtship.
- The female alone incubates the eggs.
- Magpies destroy other birds' eggs and young and kill sickly, wounded,
or newborn sheep and cows by pecking.
- They are scavengers (often collecting small bright objects), but they
also eat harmful insects as well as fruits, berries, and leaves.
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