Topic: Magpies

[Carol]

We have been 'lucky' in this area of Southern Scotland not to have a huge population of Magpies.  But, today I notice ONE flying around and I am not happy to see it.  I do hope this is not the start of the Magpie invasion moving from the Lothians or up from Northumberland - you can have them back!!! The local bird recorder wants to know if any turn up so this has to be reported.   Fingers crossed its only passing through.   :-\ :-\ :-\

[ACE]

We have loads of them around here. When I was a nipper I always had one as a pet. We would nick a young one out of the nest, then keep it for the summer. They never flew away until autumn. What is the problem with them?

[tezz brown]

We have loads of them around here. When I was a nipper I always had one as a pet. We would nick a young one out of the nest, then keep it for the summer. They never flew away until autumn. What is the problem with them?

  ace,..magpies are the Hoodies of the bird world ,..one magpie is bad news but 2 is even worse as 2 magpies  can make more magpies,..even other birds dont like magpies,..they take other birds eggs and young birds,..in gangs they even attack their own kind ,i have seen 5 attack a injured bird and gang up on it till it was dead,...one day those same magpies where hanging out in the lower branches of a tree close by when a crow took off from the top of a building 100 yards away and came in low under the tree and did a vertical climb and went in amongst them and feathers started to fly ,it all lasted for about one minute after which time he jumped out of the tree unto the ground swaggered away ,.3 magpies came after him ,he turned on them again and gave them a second thrashing,he then turned round and walked away,they didnt bother him again,...every thing went quiet after that, the maggies started to hang out at the top of a different tree well away from mister crow, ;D :) :D

[Carol]

Well this is the 3rd day and he is still around but on his own.  The Rooks and jackdaws are chasing him but he returns.   They are certainly bad news, although i find them attractive birds.   ::) ::) ::)

[muddy boots]

I saw one really close up the other day.  Didn't realise quite how huge they are! :o

[Robert_Brenchley]

Like any crow, they're intelligent, and make good pets. But they're really predatory, attacking anything vulnerable.

[Toadspawn]

Unfortunately Magpies have a bad reputation for killing small birds and eating eggs and nestlings. Yes they do this but it is only natural. In fact Magpies cause less damage to the small bird population than the domestic cat and the grey squirrel. If you look closely at a Magpie they have a superb range of colour in their feathers, they are beautiful birds. It is amazing how such a large bird can build such a wonderful domed nest of interwoven twigs and lined with mud.  Like any animal they spread into new areas if there is no/little competition and the conditions are suitable for them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

When I was a kid you didn't really see them in towns, at least not in Oxford. Now they're everywhere. Shows how adaptable they are.

[lorna]

When I was in Erith Kent last week I saw a magpie close up for the first time. Although a built up area my nephew has a large garden with many trees .I stood out on the veranda most mornings watching the birds. There is also a large flock of parakeets flying around in the Erith area also, (don't know if it is same flock)these are regularly seen in Chislehurst. Quite jealous as nephew also has quite a few finches, mind you he doesn't think much of the squirrels that keep doing damage!!
Lorna