For the birder who makes his initial visit to the American West, the black-billed magpie will likely be the first new addition to his life list. Noisy and conspicuous, this large bird is easily identified by his black and white plumage and long tail; the black feathers of his wings and tail show a greenish tinge in bright sunshine. Black-billed magpies are common from the western High Plains through the intermountain region to the Pacific Northwest and southern Alaska; their yellow-billed cousins inhabit central and southern California. Both species favor open woodlands.
Members of the crow and jay family, magpies are omniverous, feeding on waste grain, seeds, berries, insects, eggs, nestlings, carrion and small mammals; they are often spotted on the backs of elk and cattle, feasting on ticks. By late February, magpies are beginning to construct or repair their huge nest of sticks and will breed before the snow season is over. Once abandoned, these nests are often used by great horned owls.
