Magpie 142879 225958662 2008-07-16T05:26:48Z Jimfbleak 7872 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/74.230.225.105|74.230.225.105]] ([[User talk:74.230.225.105|talk]]) to last version by Neurovelho {{otheruses4|the birds in the family ''Corvidae''|the Australasian bird in the family ''Artamidae''|Australian Magpie|other uses}} {{Taxobox | name = Magpie | image = magpie.arp.750pix.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = [[European Magpie]] | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Aves]] | ordo = [[Passeriformes]] | familia = [[Corvidae]] | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = *''[[Pica (genus)|Pica]]'' *''[[Urocissa]]'' *''[[Cissa (magpie)|Cissa]]'' *''[[Cyanopica]]'' }} '''Magpies''' are [[passerine]] [[bird]]s of the [[crow]] [[family (biology)|family]], [[Corvidae]]. The names '[[jay]]' and 'magpie' are to a certain extent interchangeable, although this does not accurately reflect the [[evolution]]ary relationship between these birds. For example, the [[Eurasian Magpie]] seems more closely related to the [[Eurasian Jay]] than to the Oriental [[Urocissa|Blue]] and [[Cissa (magpie)|Green Magpies]], whereas the [[Blue Jay]] is not closely related to either.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} In Europe, "magpie" is often used by [[English language|English]] speakers as a synonym for the [[European magpie]], as there are no other magpies in Europe outside [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]]. Magpies are known to steal other young birds, commonly young chickens, away from their nests. The bird was referred to as a '''pie''' until the late 16th century when the feminine name '''Mag''' was added to the beginning.<ref>''[[Funk & Wagnalls]] Wildlife Encyclopedia'', Volume 11, 1974, p. 1339.</ref> ==Systematics and species== [[Image:magpie arp.jpg|thumb|left|[[European Magpie]] ''Pica pica'']] According to Ericson ''et al.'' (2005), magpies do not form the [[monophyletic]] group they are traditionally believed to be; a long tail has certainly evolved (or shortened) independently in multiple lineages of corvid birds. Among the traditional magpies, there appear to be two [[evolution]]ary lineages: One consists of [[Holarctic]] species with black/white coloration and is probably closely related to [[crow]]s and Eurasian [[jay]]s. The other contains several species from [[South Asia|South]] to [[East Asia]] with vivid coloration which is predominantly green or blue. The Azure-winged Magpie is a species with a most peculiar distribution and unclear relationships. It may be the single survivor of a long extinct group of corvid genera.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} Other recent research (Lee ''et al''., 2003) has cast doubt on the taxonomy of the ''Pica'' magpies, since it appears that ''P. hudsonia'' and ''P. nuttalli'' may not be different species, whereas the [[Korea]]n race of ''P. pica'' is genetically very distinct from the other Eurasian (and even the North American) forms. Either the North American, Korean, and remaining Eurasian forms are accepted as 3 or 4 separate species, or there exists only a single species, ''Pica pica''. '''Holarctic (black-and-white) magpies''' *Genus ''[[Pica (genus)|Pica]]'' ** [[European Magpie]], ''Pica pica'' ** [[Black-billed Magpie]], ''Pica hudsonia'' (may be conspecific with ''P. pica'') ** [[Yellow-billed Magpie]], ''Pica nuttalli'' (may be conspecific with ''P. pica''/''P. hudsonia'') ** [[Korean Magpie]], ''Pica sericea'' (may be conspecific with ''P. pica'') '''Oriental (blue/green) magpies''' *Genus ''[[Urocissa]]'' ** [[Formosan Blue Magpie]] ''Urocissa caerulea'' ** [[Red-billed Blue Magpie]], ''Urocissa erythrorhyncha'' ** [[Gold-billed Magpie]], ''Urocissa flavirostris'' ** [[White-winged Magpie]], ''Urocissa whiteheadi'' ** [[Sri Lanka Blue Magpie]], ''Urocissa ornata'' *Genus ''[[Cissa (magpie)|Cissa]]'' ** [[Green Magpie]], ''Cissa chinensis'' ** [[Yellow-breasted Magpie]], ''Cissa hypoleuca'' ** [[Short-tailed Magpie]], ''Cissa thalassina'' '''Azure-winged Magpie''' *Genus ''[[Cyanopica]]'' ** [[Azure-winged Magpie]], ''Cyanopica cyana'' ==Other magpies== The [[Black Magpie]], ''Platysmurus leucopterus'', despite its name, is neither a magpie nor, as was long believed, a [[jay]], but a [[treepie]]. Treepies are a distinct group of corvids externally similar to magpies. The [[Australian Magpie]], ''Gymnorhina tibicen'', is conspicuously [[piebald]], with black and white plumage reminiscent of a European Magpie, but it is not a corvid. ==Diet== Magpies eat mostly worms, slugs and small insects. They feed their young the same. Magpies can be seen scratching into the ground, looking for food, such as spiders and worms. Magpies hunt day and night. Magpies aren't exclusively carnivores or herbivores, but they are more carnivores than herbivores. Magpies learn to find food for themselves when they are very young. ==Magpie in culture== Most English language cultural references to magpies are those for the [[European Magpie]], since the word "magpie" usually refers to that species. Magpies are symbols of good luck in China and Korea, in contrast with their relatives the crows, which are portents of bad omens. In Britain and Ireland, magpies may represent good or bad luck of various forms in a complex manner, depending on the number of magpies present, according to various traditional rhymes starting "One for sorrow, two for joy,..." or "One for sorrow, two for mirth,..."<ref>http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/magpie.htm</ref>. [[Pekka Pohjola]] has released an album titled after the bird, [[Harakka Bialoipokku]] (B the Magpie). ==References== {{reflist}} * Anonymous (2006): ''The Word Origin Calendar'': Sat./Sun. March, 11-12, 2006. Accord Publishing. * Ericson, Per G. P.; Jansén, Anna-Lee; Johansson, Ulf S. & Ekman, Jan (2005): Inter-generic relationships of the crows, jays, magpies and allied groups (Aves: Corvidae) based on nucleotide sequence data. ''Journal of Avian Biology'' '''36''': 222-234. [http://www.nrm.se/download/18.4e32c81078a8d9249800021299/Corvidae%5B1%5D.pdf PDF fulltext] * Lee, Sang-im; Parr, Cynthia S.; Hwang, Youna; Mindell, David P. & Choe, Jae C. (2003): ''Phylogeny of magpies (genus ''Pica'') inferred from mtDNA data. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '''29''': 250-257. [http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/molsys/LPHMC03.pdf PDF fulltext] * {{cite news |last=Tickner|first=Lisa |url=http://www.jstor.org/view/01426540/ap040003/04a00100/0 |title=One for sorrow, two for mirth|publisher=Oxford Art Journal|date=1980-04-01 |accessdate=2007-03-02}} ==External links== *[http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/familia.phtml?idFamilia=188 Magpie videos] on the Internet Bird Collection [[Category:Corvidae]] [[Category:Luck]] [[ast:Pega]] [[eo:Pigoj]] [[fi:Harakkalinnut]] [[tr:Saksağan]]