Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Black-Billed Magpie

  • 14-08-2013 2:06pm
    #1
    ArtSmart
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,614 ✭✭✭


    Native to North America, outside drinking milk form a plate left out for cat.

    Magnificent looking thing. Long blue green tinged tail. it's too wary to get a photo.

    Any other spotted in Ireland?


Comments

  • #2
    Desmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 586 ✭✭✭Desmo


    ArtSmart wrote: »
    Native to North America, outside drinking milk form a plate left out for cat.

    Magnificent looking thing. Long blue green tinged tail. it's too wary to get a photo.

    Any other spotted in Ireland?

    It is just a normal European magpie. They are almost identical to the NA Black-billed ones.


  • #3
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    Identical to the eye but dna is different
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-billed_Magpie


  • #4
    Tiercel Dave
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 797 ✭✭✭Tiercel Dave


    Hi ArtSmart, how do we distinguish them from our normal incumbants? Dave


  • #5
    ArtSmart
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,614 ✭✭✭ArtSmart


    Desmo wrote: »
    It is just a normal European magpie. They are almost identical to the NA Black-billed ones.
    Really? Never seen one before. Fab looking creature, hope it stays around. re question, dont know, not a pro sorry to say - but visually, a very long tail, with 'resplendent' blue green hues.


  • #6
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    Male magpies have longer tails than females and have just finished are maybe still in the moult


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Desmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 586 ✭✭✭Desmo


    ArtSmart wrote: »
    Really? Never seen one before. Fab looking creature, hope it stays around. re question, dont know, not a pro sorry to say - but visually, a very long tail, with 'resplendent' blue green hues.

    Yep; that is a magpie alright (Pica pica).
    They first appeared in Ireland a few hundred years ago but are now one of our commonest crows in towns and cities. They (as do most crows) eats eggs and chicks of other birds. That gets them blamed for the decrease in song birds in recent times but that is more likely due to habitat loss in towns and the countryside and changes in agricultural practices. Modern housing estates do not have may places for birds to live but magpies can tough it out, even against cats and foxes. Right this minute, you can see lots of new birds (they look a bit scruffier that the adults) trying to figure out what to eat.


Advertisement