How do you recognise a magpie?

The Eurasian magpie, Žagata in Latvian and Pica pica in Latin, is a long-tailed member of the crow family with contrasting black-and-white plumage. Its white shoulder patches stand out against the black, and in sunlight the wings and tail show blue and green iridescence. The guide sums it up as a long-tailed corvid with black-and-white plumage and an iridescent sheen. Its harsh, rattling calls are familiar sounds around both farms and towns, so you may hear one before you see it. At a distance, the long tail is often the easiest feature to recognise, which helps when picking out pairs around gardens, agricultural land, and village edges. The guide's illustration is an original drawing and, like all illustrations on the site, not to scale.

Sources

• Magpies

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