Common magpie

    Pica pica

Castilian: Urraca

Catalan: Garsa

Gallego: Pega

Euskera: Mika

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Corvidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

Although it is quite abundant and is not threatened, many nests are destroyed and poison is used illegally because of this bird's predatory habits that affect nests of species sought after by hunters.

Length / size: 40-51 cm / 52-60 cm

Identification: Medium-sized bird that is very common in urban areas. Its plumage is mostly white and black. The tips of its wings and of its long tail are dark but with a bright greenish shine that is visible usually when the bird is moving or flying. In winter it is easy to observe groups of dozens of specimens.

Song: It is quite noisy and has a wide variety of caws. It is common to hear a penetrating "chac-chac-chac" when it is alarmed or fights over food.

Diet: It is an opportunistic species. It can be said that it feeds on nearly anything edible, from grains to invertebrates, fruits, carrion, scraps, eggs and chicks of other birds.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in April. The pair builds the nest, positioning it in many different possible areas (trees, bushes, electrical towers, etc.), using roots, twigs, and mud and covering it with feathers, moss, wool, and sometimes brightly-coloured objects. The female is responsible for incubation but both parents feed the chicks.

HABITAT

It occupies practically any habitat, including parks and gardens, but it prefers open spaces over thick forests.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: Present and abundant in the entire peninsula, but absent in the archipelagos.

In Castile and León: Abundant in the entire community in general, and primarily depends on areas populated by humans, with dense populations in Zamora. It is only absent in areas with the highest elevation.

Movements and migrations: It is a sedentary nesting species.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 220000 to 1.2 million breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: