About

●Magpies belong to the Corvidae family of birds which includes crows, jays, and ravens.

Common species

●Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) and the Black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia).

Cultural significance

●Birds of this family are generally considered to be noisy, inquisitive birds that in folklore from around the world have often been associated with omens, good or bad.

●In some European cultures, they accompany witches.

Habitat

●They are found in the Himalayas.

●The gold-billed magpie, Urocissa flavirostris, also called the yellow-billed blue magpie, occupies the high altitude zone between 2000 and 3000 meters above sea level.

●Red-billed magpie species: Below 2000 kilometres.

●Blue magpie: Found at lower altitudes where humans live in larger numbers.

Intelligence

●Magpies are considered one of the most intelligent birds, displaying problem-solving abilities and tool use. They have been observed using tools to obtain food and have a remarkable memory.

Threats

While magpies are not considered globally threatened, habitat loss is increasing.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding Magpies.

1)They belong to a Family of birds called Anhimidae.

2) They are intelligent birds, with tool-use abilities

3) They are listed as an endangered species according to the IUCN Red List.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

A. Only one

B.Only two

C.All Three

D.None

Answer: A