Photo: watts_photos / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of North America.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) is a member of the Corvidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 177 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Pica
- Species hudsonia
Where it lives
Southern Alaska, western Canada and western USA to central Canada and central USA
Quick facts
- Weight
- 177 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-billed Magpie is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-billed Magpie is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA s Alaska, w Canada and w USA to c Canada and c USA.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 177 g, with a wing length of about 20.3 cm and a tail of around 26.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-billed Magpie?
The Black-billed Magpie is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 177 g.
Where does the Black-billed Magpie live?
The Black-billed Magpie is found across North America with a range covering NA s Alaska, w Canada and w USA to c Canada and c USA, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-billed Magpie belong to?
The Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-billed Magpie eat?
The Black-billed Magpie is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Black-billed Magpie migrate?
The Black-billed Magpie is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-billed Magpie endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-billed Magpie make?
1 real field recording of the Black-billed Magpie — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-billed Magpie's range?
The Black-billed Magpie has a mapped global range of about 6.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Least Concern
Near Threatened
Not Evaluated
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Least Concern
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Least Concern
Least Concern
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Guides for this bird
Best Feeders for Jays & Larger Garden Birds
How to choose a feeder for jays and other big, bold garden birds — the styles that suit peanuts and larger food, and how to keep them from crowding your small-bird feeders. A decision framework with the species in the Birbs encyclopedia.