Photo: Daniel Case / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Oriental Magpie
Pica serica
Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) is a member of the Corvidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 218 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Pica
- Species serica
Where it lives
Southeastern Russia and Myanmar to eastern China, Taiwan and northern Indochina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 218 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Oriental 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 Oriental Magpie is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) is a species of bird in the Corvidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR se Russia and Myanmar to e China, Taiwan and n Indochina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 218 g, with a wing length of about 19.3 cm and a tail of around 24.2 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Oriental Magpie?
The Oriental Magpie is a large bird that weighs around 218 g.
Where does the Oriental Magpie live?
The Oriental Magpie is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR se Russia and Myanmar to e China, Taiwan and n Indochina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Oriental Magpie belong to?
The Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Oriental Magpie eat?
The Oriental Magpie is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Oriental Magpie migrate?
The Oriental Magpie is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Oriental Magpie make?
1 real field recording of the Oriental Magpie — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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
More in Corvidae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Corvids
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
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.