Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 217 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 pica
Where it lives
Northern Eurasia from British Isles and western Europe to eastern Siberia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 217 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Eurasian Magpie is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Eurasian Magpie is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL n Eurasia from British Isles and w Europe to e Siberia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 217 g, with a wing length of about 19.3 cm and a tail of around 24.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 31.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eurasian Magpie?
The Eurasian Magpie is a large bird that weighs around 217 g.
Where does the Eurasian Magpie live?
The Eurasian Magpie is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL n Eurasia from British Isles and w Europe to e Siberia, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Eurasian Magpie belong to?
The Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Eurasian Magpie eat?
The Eurasian Magpie is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Eurasian Magpie migrate?
The Eurasian Magpie is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Eurasian 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 Eurasian Magpie make?
1 real field recording of the Eurasian 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 Eurasian Magpie's range?
The Eurasian Magpie has a mapped global range of about 31.8 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.
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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.