Pica pica
We all know the Eurasian magpie: a prominent black and white raven bird, popularly described as a songbird killer or thief. According to some views, the magpie is a cunning bird that steals glittering objects and carries them to the nest. This is rather not the case. It playfully explores and examines its surroundings or objects lying around. If it is disturbed while examining, however, it flies away and simply takes the objects of its desire with it. In field tests, researchers have shown that Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) have one of the most highly developed brains in the bird world. Various behavioural tests have shown that magpies behave similarly to chimpanzees and orang-utans when identifying things or recognising themselves in a mirror. The behavioural scientist Otto Koehler emphasises that magpies are even able to distinguish between up to seven people. In addition, it turned out that these curious birds exhibit prosocial behaviour, which is often only attributed to humans. Magpies share food with their fellow magpies in a selfless manner. Similar to jays (Garrulus glandarius), they gather and hide their food. Comparatively, however, magpies find the hidden supplies more purposefully and more frequently.
Unfortunately, magpies are frequently associated to decimate songbirds. This view is wrong. It originates from the old and long obsolete folk belief at the time of witch persecution and burnings. In those days, numerous defamations and myths arose against wild animals, which often stayed close to humans and found food in their waste and by-products.
In our days, studies
and observations by ornithologists have established that the Eurasian magpie's
diet in urban areas consists of just 5-8% eggs or juveniles. Researchers even
observed that songbird species such as blackbirds, great tits, finches, blue
tits and other small birds occur in the neighbourhood of magpies in the densest
population levels. Losses of a few young birds are balanced by a high number of
offspring. In addition, smaller bird species in the vicinity of magpie habitats
benefit from their breeding and territorial defence against predators and other
intruders.
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