How to identify
With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there's nothing else quite like the Magpie in the UK. When seen close-up, its black plumage reveals a purplish-blue iridescent sheen to the wing feathers and a green gloss to the tail.
Magpies seem to be jacks of all trades – scavengers, predators and pest-destroyers. Non-breeding birds will gather together in flocks. Corvids: how to identify the crow familyMany of the UK’s most common corvids – members of the crow family – sport all-black plumage, which can make identification a bit of a headache. But once you know what to look for, there are easy ways to tell the difference. And it’s worth making the effort, because what they lack in colour corvids definitely make up for in brain power – they’re some of the smartest animals on the planet and their entertaining antics are fascinating to watch!
Key
- Resident
- Passage
- Summer
- Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations. - Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
