by Calvin Jones

The Magpie is a familiar sight in Ireland’s towns, parks, gardens and countryside. It is one of the most striking members of the crow family, eclipsed perhaps only by the jay, although it is much more widely seen than its secretive woodland cousin. For all its good looks the Magpie’s cocky demeanour and its reputation for terrorising smaller birds has done little to enhance its public image.

The black and white livery and harsh voice of the magpie is unmistakeable. Its chattering alarm call is particularly noisy, and the “mag” part of its common name once meant “chatterer”. It was added to the ‘pie’ (referring to the black and white plumage) to form magpie sometime in the 16th century.

Magpies are medium sized birds between 40 and 51 cm (15.5 and 20 inches) long including the impressively long tail. Sexes are similar and young birds resemble the adults but are more scruffy-looking with shorter tails and less pronounced iridescence on their dark plumage.

Magpies often assemble to roost and feed outside the breeding season. Occasionally, early in the year, they form noisy groups called Magpie Parliaments where it is thought that unpaired birds can find a mate.
Breeding magpies defend territories of around 12 acres (c. 5 hectares) all year round. Because suitable nesting sites are limited and magpies are so numerous between 25% and 60% of magpies in an area will not breed at all. These non-breeding birds often form flocks that roam over a home range spanning 50 acres (c. 20 hectares) or more.

Magpies build a large domed nest of twigs in a thorny bush or high in the branches of a tree. Between three and ten greenish-blue eggs with brown spots are laid in April. The female incubates these for 18 to 19 days, during which time the male brings her food. Once the eggs have hatched both parents feed the young, which fledge after 26 to 30 days. They continue to feed the young for up to four weeks after they leave the nest.

Continue reading in this week’s Ireland’s Own