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(Pica hudsonia).
Date of admission: June 2025.
Reason for admission: Orphaned.
Patient History:
The black-billed magpie, also known as the American magpie, is an easily recognizable member of the Corvid family. This species inhabits the western half of North America from coastal Alaska south to New Mexico. Permanent residents of Alberta, magpies do not normally migrate. Magpies can be found across several varying habitats, from open prairies to wooded areas to crowded cities and suburbs. These birds are black and white overall with blue-green iridescent flashes in the wing and tail.
Black-billed magpies have had a long relationship with humans, beginning when early Native Americans hunted bison across the plains of North America. Magpies would follow the hunt, feeding on the discarded scraps of meat.
Magpies are opportunistic omnivores, meaning that they will eat a variety of both vegetable and animal matter. They will feed on many types of insects, seeds, berries, nuts, small rodents, and carrion. Generally, magpies forage for food on the ground, they can be seen walking and hopping from place to place.
A mating pair will typically lay 6-7 eggs and incubation is completed by the female for 16-21 days. The male feeds the female during the egg-laying and incubation period, however, both parents bring food to nestlings once they have hatched. Young leave the nest about 25-29 days after hatching, and will spend approximately 7-14 days on the ground learning to fly. This is one of the most common calls we get in June!
Each spring and summer, orphaned black-billed magpies are brought to AIWC after nest disturbances or accidents. Your support directly helps these curious and clever birds recover and thrive. In 2024, we cared for 131 Black-billed magpies at our facility.