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Difference between revisions of "Red-billed Blue Magpie" - BirdForum Opus

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'''Alternative names: Blue Magpie; Red-billed Magpie'''
 
'''Alternative names: Blue Magpie; Red-billed Magpie'''
[[Image:Blue_Magpie.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo by {{user|mikemik|mikemik}} <br />Beijing, [[China]], November 2005]]
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[[Image:Blue_Magpie.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|mikemik|mikemik}} <br />Beijing, [[China]], November 2005]]
 
;[[:Category:Urocissa|Urocissa]] erythroryncha
 
;[[:Category:Urocissa|Urocissa]] erythroryncha
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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====Similar species====
 
====Similar species====
 
[[Gold-billed Magpie]] is similar, but Blue Magpie is bluer and whiter in appearance, has a red bill and extensive white speckles and spangling over most of crown and nape.
 
[[Gold-billed Magpie]] is similar, but Blue Magpie is bluer and whiter in appearance, has a red bill and extensive white speckles and spangling over most of crown and nape.
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[[Image:r-b_blue_magpie.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''U. e. occipitalis''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}} <br />Almora, [[Himalayas]], Alt.5200 ft., [[India]], 15 October 2016]]
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
[[Image:r-b_blue_magpie.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''U. e. occipitalis''<br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}} <br />Almora, [[Himalayas]], Alt.5200 ft., [[India]], Oct.-2016]]
 
 
Found in the [[Himalayas]] from northwest [[India]] to [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and east to [[Burma]], [[Thailand]], [[Cambodia]], [[Laos]] and [[Vietnam]]. Also in south and central [[China]] up north to Bejing and Inner Mongolia.<br />
 
Found in the [[Himalayas]] from northwest [[India]] to [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and east to [[Burma]], [[Thailand]], [[Cambodia]], [[Laos]] and [[Vietnam]]. Also in south and central [[China]] up north to Bejing and Inner Mongolia.<br />
 
Widespread and locally common.
 
Widespread and locally common.
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* ''U. e. occipitalis'' in the [[Himalayas]] (Punjab to Sikkim)
 
* ''U. e. occipitalis'' in the [[Himalayas]] (Punjab to Sikkim)
 
* ''U. e. magnirostris'' from the Hills of Assam ([[India]]) to [[Indochina]]
 
* ''U. e. magnirostris'' from the Hills of Assam ([[India]]) to [[Indochina]]
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[[Image:r-b_blue_magpie_alok.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''U. e. occipitalis''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}} <br />Kainchi Ashram, Dist. Nainital, Uttarakhand [[Himalayas]], Alt. 4500 ft., [[India]], 28 October 2011]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Evergreen forest and scrub, hilly or mountainous country. Recorded from sea-level up to 2200m. Where ranges meet with [[Gold-billed Magpie]] replaced by the latter in higher elevations.
 
Evergreen forest and scrub, hilly or mountainous country. Recorded from sea-level up to 2200m. Where ranges meet with [[Gold-billed Magpie]] replaced by the latter in higher elevations.
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A resident species with altitudinal movements in the [[Himalayas]].
 
A resident species with altitudinal movements in the [[Himalayas]].
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
<flashmp3>red-billed_blue_magpie_call_alok.mp3</flashmp3><br />
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{{ Audio|red-billed_blue_magpie_call_alok.mp3 }}
''[[Media: red-billed_blue_magpie_call_alok.mp3|Listen in an external program]]''<br />
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Recording by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />
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Recording &copy; by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />
 
Five types of calls given by two individuals, sitting in a Chir Pine tree, in this early morning recording.<br />
 
Five types of calls given by two individuals, sitting in a Chir Pine tree, in this early morning recording.<br />
 
Dwarahat, Alt. 4800 ft., Dist. Almora, Uttarakhand [[Himalayas]], [[India]], Nov.-2016.
 
Dwarahat, Alt. 4800 ft., Dist. Almora, Uttarakhand [[Himalayas]], [[India]], Nov.-2016.
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{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Urocissa+erythror}}  
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{{GSearch|"Urocissa+ erythror* {{!}} "Red-billed_Blue_Magpie" {{!}} "Blue_Magpie" {{!}} "Red-billed_Magpie"}}  
 
<br />
 
<br />
{{Video|Red_billed_Blue_Magpie}}
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{{VSearch|"Red-billed Blue Magpie" {{!}} "Red-billed Blue Magpie"}}
  
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Urocissa]] [[Category:Videos]][[Category:Bird Songs]]
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[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Urocissa]] [[Category:Videos]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]

Latest revision as of 08:26, 25 April 2023

Alternative names: Blue Magpie; Red-billed Magpie

Photo © by mikemik
Beijing, China, November 2005
Urocissa erythroryncha

Identification

53 - 64cm (20¾-25 in). A highly distinctive blue magpie with a very long tail:

  • Black head, neck and breast
  • Blue spotting on crown
  • Dull blue shoulders and rump
  • Grey-cream underparts (white in some subspecies)
  • White tipped brighter blue tail and primaries
  • Bright orange-red bill, legs, feet and eye ring

Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller than adults.

Similar species

Gold-billed Magpie is similar, but Blue Magpie is bluer and whiter in appearance, has a red bill and extensive white speckles and spangling over most of crown and nape.

Subspecies U. e. occipitalis
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Almora, Himalayas, Alt.5200 ft., India, 15 October 2016

Distribution

Found in the Himalayas from northwest India to Nepal, Bhutan and east to Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Also in south and central China up north to Bejing and Inner Mongolia.
Widespread and locally common.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 5 subspecies[1]:

  • U. e. brevivexilla in south-western Manchuria and northern China
  • U. e. erythroryncha from central China to southern Yunnan, northern Laos and northern Vietnam
  • U. e. alticola in south-western China (northern Yunnan) and north-eastern Myanmar
  • U. e. occipitalis in the Himalayas (Punjab to Sikkim)
  • U. e. magnirostris from the Hills of Assam (India) to Indochina
Subspecies U. e. occipitalis
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Kainchi Ashram, Dist. Nainital, Uttarakhand Himalayas, Alt. 4500 ft., India, 28 October 2011

Habitat

Evergreen forest and scrub, hilly or mountainous country. Recorded from sea-level up to 2200m. Where ranges meet with Gold-billed Magpie replaced by the latter in higher elevations.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes invertebrates, small animals, fruit and seeds. It takes eggs and chicks from nests.
Mostly seen in small family groups. Generally a rather shy bird.

Breeding

Breeding season April to June in India and China. They build a shallow nest in trees or shrubs and 3-5 eggs are laid.

Movements

A resident species with altitudinal movements in the Himalayas.

Vocalisation

Recording © by Alok Tewari
Five types of calls given by two individuals, sitting in a Chir Pine tree, in this early morning recording.
Dwarahat, Alt. 4800 ft., Dist. Almora, Uttarakhand Himalayas, India, Nov.-2016.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

Recommended Citation

External Links


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