The magpie is one of the most amazing birds, because not being a migratory one, it is distributed throughout the globe. In addition, the magpie is famous for its thieves' abilities and a special passion for everything bright and shiny.
The magpie is easily recognizable by its plumage. The body and breast of the bird are bluish-black, with iridescence, some species have a so-called white apron on the breast. The magpie's wings are long, thin, along the edge of the plumage on them and on the tail there is a white border. The place of residence and nesting of the magpie is forests of any type, but most often it settles near human habitation, causing a lot of trouble to its neighbors. It is noteworthy that this bird has high intelligence, is able to memorize information, easily adapts to any living conditions, copes with extreme situations and intuitively feels danger or friendly attitude towards itself.
How the magpie reproduces
Few people know that the magpie is a kind of antipode of the cuckoo, which does not raise its offspring and simply throws eggs into other people's nests. Magpie, on the other hand, steals other people's eggs and transfers them to their nest.
Before laying eggs, the magpie builds nests, and their number reaches 10 pieces, of which she will then choose only one. The design of the magpie's nest is rather complicated - it is a sturdy structure in the form of a bowl, and sometimes a ball with a side entrance, filled with a soft bedding of fluff, moss and leaves, wool and dry grass.
One clutch of magpies is 7-8 eggs, which it evaporates within 18 days. After the chicks are born, the couple nurses them for a long time, since they are absolutely helpless, and they learn the science of self-survival and adaptation with difficulty. The growth period of young animals can be more than 4 weeks.
Interesting facts about forty
Magpies begin to lay eggs earlier than other birds, in April or early May. To ensure the safety of future offspring, these birds form in a flock, the nests of which are very close. Males are engaged in the protection of the "territory", and while one of their groups is engaged in protection, the other gets food for females and chicks. Magpies are able to make food supplies, which they hide in small depressions in the ground near the nesting site.
Magpies are omnivorous - they happily feed on insects and small lizards, often ravage other people's nests, some of the eggs of which are moved to their clutch, and some are eaten. For their chicks, magpies make up a kind of menu and alternate food with animal products with plant seeds, sprouts and leaves.
Despite the almost unanimous opinion that magpies are of no use, nature needs them. During the activation of ticks, for example, they help large animals get rid of them, collecting them only from the surface of the skins, but also pulling out those that have already sunk.
