Magpies are a group of birds in the crow family known for their intelligence, loud vocalizations, and distinctive black and white plumage. There are several different species of magpie found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. But which other birds are closely related to magpies? Here we’ll explore the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of magpies to other corvid species.
Overview of Magpie Taxonomy
Magpies belong to the genus Pica within the larger crow family Corvidae. There are 7 recognized species of magpie across 3 subgenera:
- Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) – the most widespread magpie species found across Europe and Asia
- Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) – found across western North America
- Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli) – endemic to California in the US
- Korean Magpie (Pica sericea) – native to China and the Korean Peninsula
- Sri Lanka Blue Magpie (Urocissa ornata) – found only in Sri Lanka
- Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea) – endemic to Taiwan
- Iberian Magpie (Cyanopica cooki) – native to Spain and Portugal
Of these, the Eurasian Magpie and the two blue magpies are placed in the subgenus Pica, while the other 4 species are placed in the subgenus Cissa. The Iberian Magpie in the monotypic subgenus Cyanopica is the most distinctive and earliest offshoot from the other magpies.
Closely Related Corvids
As members of the Corvidae family, magpies are related to crows, ravens, jays, choughs, nutcrackers, and other corvid species. Their closest relatives within the Corvidae are generally considered to be the Treepies and the Nutcrackers.
Treepies
Treepies make up the genus Dendrocitta and consist of 7 – 9 species native to tropical southern Asia. Like magpies, treepies are long-tailed birds with bold black and white plumage. They share a number of behavioral traits with magpies as well, including their loud, complex vocalizations. Treepies are adept mimicers of calls and often move about in social groups.
Nutcrackers
Nutcrackers comprise 3 species in the genus Nucifraga found across North America, Europe, and Asia. These chunky, short-tailed corvids specialize in cracking hard nuts and seeds with their stout, pointed bills. Their loud, rolling vocalizations are markedly similar to those of magpies. While their plumage is often more subdued than the black and white of magpies, some species like the Clark’s Nutcracker have similar bold patterns.
Other Closely Related Corvids
In addition to treepies and nutcrackers, magpies share a close evolutionary relationship with crows and jays in the genus Corvus as well as the choughs in the genus Pyrrhocorax. Notable among the Corvus are:
- Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) – shares the black and white plumage pattern of Eurasian magpies
- Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) – despite the name, more closely related to jays than magpies
- Pied Crow (Corvus albus) – has similar black and white plumage as magpies
The choughs such as the Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) share the metallic sheen and inpisiform tail shape characteristic of magpies and jays.
Distantly Related Corvids
While treepies, nutcrackers, crows, and choughs are the closest relatives to magpies, they diverged from other corvid lineages like ravens, jackdaws, and rooks much earlier in their evolution. These less closely related corvids include:
- Ravens (genus Corvus) – larger, all black corvids including Common Raven, Australian Raven
- Jackdaws (genus Coloeus) – small, gray corvids of Europe, western Asia
- Rooks (genus Corvus) – lanky, sociable black birds with light facial skin
These corvids lack the bald white facial patches, long graduated tails, and striking black and white plumage characteristic of magpies and their nearest relatives.
Context of Magpie Evolution
Magpie’s shared a common ancestor with the other Corvidae lineages sometime between 20-25 million years ago during the Early Miocene epoch. At this time, the rapid radiation of songbirds was taking place, with many modern bird families emerging. The corvids as a group originated around this time, likely in Australasia or Asia.
The ancestral magpie lineage diverged from the other corvids and spread northwards, eventually giving rise to modern magpies in Asia, Europe, and North America. Meanwhile, the other major corvid lineages were also diverging and dispersing. More basal family groups like the nutcrackers and choughs emerged early, while crows/ravens and jays arose later from separate radiation events.
The bold black and white plumage common to most magpies and their close relatives likely evolved as a form of disruptive or aposematic coloration. The contrasting pattern may help camouflage birds in dappled light or serve as a warning signal of their loud flocking behavior and aggression near nests.
Conclusion
Magpies are a unique lineage of corvids most closely related to treepies, nutcrackers, Eurasian jays, and pied crows. These birds share common traits like complex vocalizations, high intelligence, and striking black and white plumage. More distant corvid relatives of magpies include ravens, jackdaws, and rooks.
Magpie’s lineage emerged alongside the rapid radiation of other corvids during the Early Miocene. Their characteristic plumage patterns likely evolved as disruptive or warning coloration as social, territorial behaviors arose. While distinctive, magpies remain an integral part of the corvid family that includes their nearest cousins as well as more distant lineages.
Species | Range |
---|---|
Eurasian Magpie | Europe, Asia |
Black-billed Magpie | Western North America |
Yellow-billed Magpie | California |
Korean Magpie | China, Korea |
Taiwan Blue Magpie | Taiwan |
Iberian Magpie | Spain, Portugal |
Magpie Vocalizations
Magpies produce a wide range of vocalizations used for communication. Some of their most distinctive calls include:
- Chattering – rapidly repeated clicks and chatters
- Caroling – melodious warbling, oboe-like whistles
- Gurgling – low, guttural gargling sounds
- Pip Calls – short, high-pitched “pip” notes
- Alarm Calls – harsh “chack” noises in response to threats
These vocalizations are often incorporated into complex magpie songs, usually involving caroling interspersed with other calls. Their loud, complex voices facilitate communication and help magpies identify one another audibly. It also allows them to vocally defend nesting territories.
Magpie Intelligence and Social Behavior
Magpies are considered among the most intelligent and socially complex birds. Some key aspects of their behavior and cognition include:
- Self-recognition in mirrors – a rare ability associated with high intelligence
- Ability to hold grudges against specific humans or animals that threaten nests
- Complex social hierarchies and cooperation in mixed flocks
- Playing games like tossing objects in the air and responding to gestures
- Capacity for tool use and problem solving to obtain food
Their high reasoning capacity likely evolved in concert with their complex vocalizations and social interactions. Intelligent magpies know when to vocalize to signal identity and status or warn of specific threats.
Magpie Habitats
Magpies are adaptable birds found in a wide range of open and semi-open habitats, including:
- Agricultural areas
- Parks and fields
- Scattered woodland and forests
- Mountain shrublands
- Suburban neighborhoods
Almost anywhere there are trees for nesting interspersed with open ground for foraging, magpies are likely to take up residence. However, they avoid dense forest as well as treeless plains and deserts.
Magpie Diet
Magpies are omnivorous and opportunistic foragers that eat a wide variety of plant and animal material. Their diverse diet includes:
- Insects and other invertebrates
- Seeds and grain
- Fruits and berries
- Small mammals and amphibians
- Bird eggs and nestlings
- Reptiles
- Waste and carrion
This flexible, generalist diet allows magpies to thrive across temperate habitats worldwide. They often walk along open ground probing for invertebrates and can cause localized damage eating crops and the eggs of songbirds.
Magpie Nesting
Magpies build large, domed nests high up in trees using thorny branches for protection from predators. Their nesting behaviors include:
- Build nests up to 60 cm wide using mud as “cement”
- Construct roofs with small entrance holes
- Add green leaves to help camouflage completed nests
- Form monogamous pair bonds and cooperate to raise young
- Lay between 5-8 eggs with spotted brown coloration
- Only female incubates eggs and broods hatchlings
- Both parents feed nestlings and fledglings
Magpie nests are relatively large and complex compared to many birds, reflecting their greater intelligence and reliance on visual camouflage to protect eggs and young. Pairs aggressively defend their nesting territories from corvids, birds of prey, and other potential threats.
Threats and Status of Magpies
No magpie species are globally threatened. Most are widespread and locally abundant throughout their extensive native ranges. However, they do face some local threats and population declines in parts of their range, including:
- Persecution and intentional killing by humans due to predation on songbird nests
- Habitat loss from urbanization and agricultural intensification
- Reduction in large trees for nesting due to logging and development
- Competition with and predation by invasive bird species
Legal protections, reduced persecution, and ability to thrive in human-altered environments have allowed most magpie populations to remain stable. Their high observable intelligence helps magpies adapt to changes and persist where many other birds decline.
Importance of Magpies in Culture and Ecosystems
Beyond their close evolutionary relationships with other corvids, magpies play key roles culturally and ecologically:
- Prominent features in myths, legends, and taboos of many cultures
- Charismatic birds that fascinate with their intelligence
- Help control pest insects and rodents
- Scavenge waste and carrion
- Disperse seeds and pollinate some plants
- Prey for raptors and mammalian predators
While sometimes viewed negatively for predation on songbirds, magpies are captivating, intelligent birds that serve vital functions in food webs and human cultures worldwide.
Conclusion
Magpies are a unique corvid lineage most closely related to treepies, nutcrackers, Eurasian jays, and pied crows within the larger crow family. They are renowned for their intelligence, complex vocalizations, social behaviors, and black and white plumage. While magpies occasionally come into conflict with humans, they play vital ecological roles and add an iconic splash of animation to landscapes worldwide.