(diet, taxonomy notes, references) |
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==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | A colony of Yellow-billed Magpies lives communally year round, feeding, socializing, and collectively mobbing predators. This magpie has found in vacant city lots and weedy storage yards a substitute for habitats it lost to intensive agriculture. It has become a city bird but keeps away from places where people gather. | + | A colony of Yellow-billed Magpies lives communally year round, feeding, socializing, and collectively mobbing predators. This magpie has found in vacant city lots and weedy storage yards a substitute for habitats it lost to intensive agriculture. It has become a city bird but keeps away from places where people gather. Going to disagree on "where people gather." Most of my Y-b Magpies photos have been taken in a large park where many people gather daily. They keep there distance, but move around people in the park. Phil |
====Diet==== | ====Diet==== | ||
Omnivorous. Feeds on insects, mice, bird eggs, nestlings, small reptiles, carrion (especially roadkill) and human handouts. | Omnivorous. Feeds on insects, mice, bird eggs, nestlings, small reptiles, carrion (especially roadkill) and human handouts. | ||
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====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
Breeding season from December to May. 5-8 blotched, olive green eggs in a large, domed stick nest; breeds in colonies in tall trees usually so overgrown with mistletoe that it is often hard to detect the nests. | Breeding season from December to May. 5-8 blotched, olive green eggs in a large, domed stick nest; breeds in colonies in tall trees usually so overgrown with mistletoe that it is often hard to detect the nests. | ||
| + | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}} | #{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}} | ||
Revision as of 13:41, 16 August 2013
- Pica nuttalli
Identification
16-18" (41-46 cm). A slightly smaller version of Black-billed Magpie, but with yellow bill and bare yellow area of skin behind eye. Large white wing patches and long, wedge-shaped, iridescent greenish-black tail. Juvenile has blackish beak and lacks bare face patch. Ranges of two magpies do not overlap.
Distribution
Resident in California's Central Valley and adjacent foothills.
A restricted-range species, prior to 2004 locally common or abundant. The West Nile virus has reduced the population by around 50%.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It's closely related to Black-billed Magpie and may even be conspecific with the latter.
Habitat
Oak savannas, oak woods, riverside growth, ranches, and suburbs.
Behaviour
A colony of Yellow-billed Magpies lives communally year round, feeding, socializing, and collectively mobbing predators. This magpie has found in vacant city lots and weedy storage yards a substitute for habitats it lost to intensive agriculture. It has become a city bird but keeps away from places where people gather. Going to disagree on "where people gather." Most of my Y-b Magpies photos have been taken in a large park where many people gather daily. They keep there distance, but move around people in the park. Phil
Diet
Omnivorous. Feeds on insects, mice, bird eggs, nestlings, small reptiles, carrion (especially roadkill) and human handouts.
Vocalisation
A raucous qua-qua-qua and a querulous quack.
Breeding
Breeding season from December to May. 5-8 blotched, olive green eggs in a large, domed stick nest; breeds in colonies in tall trees usually so overgrown with mistletoe that it is often hard to detect the nests.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- 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
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Yellow-billed Magpie. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-billed_Magpie
