Oriental Magpie

The Oriental magpie is a large black-and-white corvid with a long graduated tail, white belly and shoulder patches and glossy dark wings and tail that can show blue-green iridescence. It closely resembles the Eurasian magpie, from which genetic and vocal studies support its separation as a distinct species. The stout black bill, bold pied pattern and strong, direct flight make it conspicuous in open landscapes (Wikipedia, general species account; Lee et al. 2024).

It ranges from southeastern Russia through eastern China, Korea and Taiwan to northern Indochina and Myanmar. An adaptable resident, it uses farmland, grassland, woodland edge, parks and urban areas. Research on an introduced Japanese population recorded insects, earthworms, fruit, seeds and substantial use of human-provided food. Birds forage mainly on the ground and in low vegetation, cache surplus food and build large domed stick nests in trees or on artificial structures (Lee et al. 2024; Wikipedia, general species account).