Asir Magpie vs Black-Billed Magpie

Asir Magpie

Pica asirensis

Also known as: Arabian Magpie

How to recognise an Asir magpie?

General appearance

The Asir magpie is a medium-sized bird with striking black and white plumage. Its wings and tail are glossy blue, complementing the white body and black head. The tail is long with a distinctive forked shape, providing a prominent feature in flight. Its beak is black and slightly curved, enhancing its distinct profile.

Male vs female

Males and females are similar in appearance, both possessing the bright contrasting coloration of black, white, and blue. However, males may exhibit slightly more intense coloration, especially the blue gloss on their wings and tail, although this can be challenging to distinguish without close observation.

Juvenile

Juvenile Asir magpies have duller plumage compared to adults, with less glossy blue on their wings and tail. Their overall appearance is more muted, aiding in camouflage from predators. As they mature, their coloration becomes more vivid, resembling adult birds with the striking black, white, and blue tones.

Size

17.7 - 18.5 in/6.3 - 7.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Asir magpie is primarily found in the highlands of southwestern Saudi Arabia. It prefers wooded areas, particularly juniper forests, at elevations between 1,800 and 3,000 meters. The species thrives in a Mediterranean-like climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

Additional range

Occasionally, the Asir magpie can be found in unexpected environments such as agricultural fields and urban areas where suitable vegetation or food sources occur, indicating some adaptability beyond its primary habitat.

Range Map

What do Asir magpies like to eat?

Natural diet

The Asir magpie's natural diet primarily consists of insects, small invertebrates, seeds, fruits, and small reptiles. It has a varied diet that allows it to thrive in its native environment. The magpie actively forages for these food sources in trees, shrubs, and on the ground. Insects form a major portion during the breeding season to provide the necessary protein for growing chicks. Fruits and seeds are consumed based on seasonal availability, making the magpie's diet quite diverse.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, the Asir magpie often consumes grains, nuts, and suet. It is attracted to feeders that offer peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet cakes, which provide an alternative food source. The magpie adapts well to these supplementary feeding options, particularly during times when natural food is less abundant. Despite its preference for natural foods, the bird's versatility allows it to make use of human-provided feed to sustain its dietary needs.

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Black-Billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

Also known as: American Magpie

How to recognise a black-billed magpie?

General appearance

The black-billed magpie is unmistakable with a size about that of a crow, mallard, or herring gull, varies between 17 1/2 -22 inches (44-56 cm). It possesses distinctive coloration, featuring a black body with a green and blue gloss on its wings and long, wedge-shaped tail. Its large white wing patches are particularly noticeable during flight.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism in black-billed magpies, which means males and females look very similar to one another. Both genders share the black coloration, along with the green-blue glossy wings. The wings are broad, either fingered or rounded, and their tails are long, wedge-shaped.

Juvenile

Juvenile black-billed magpies will have similar coloration to adults, but their colors may initially appear less vibrant with the glossy wing sheen developing as they mature. Similar to adults, the juveniles' wing patches flash white during flight.

Size

17.7 - 23.6 in/5.1 - 7.4 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The preferred habitat of the black-billed magpie includes rangeland, conifers, streamsides, forest edges, and farms, often residing in the western semi-open terrain.

Additional range

Unexpectedly, it is also found in some suburban areas. It avoids unbroken forest, treeless grasslands, and extreme deserts. Its most common locations are streamside groves in open terrain and farm country.

Range Map

What do black-billed magpies like to eat?

Natural diet

The black-billed magpie is omnivorous with a varied diet. Insects such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, flies, and beetles are consistently consumed. Other natural food sources include carrion, rodents, eggs, and young of other birds, as well as sometimes small snakes. In winter, their diet includes more vegetable matter like berries, seeds, and nuts.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, black-billed magpies may be attracted to seed mixes, especially those containing peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet. They may also take advantage of kitchen scraps and other foods offered to larger birds.

What does a black-billed magpie sound like?

The vocalizations of the Black-billed Magpie display a diverse range. Its typical calls can be described as rapid, nasal "mag? mag? mag?" or chatter-like "yak yak yak." The calls vary in pitch, characterized by a flat or rising pattern that is quite distinctive. Other vocalizations include chirps or chips, and sometimes raucous screams, indicating the bird's complex and dynamic communication repertoire. Their sound is distinct, engaging, and expressive, making them one of the more vocally varied species.

Call

Audio by Gabriel Leite

/ CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Asir Magpie

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Black-Billed Magpie

Asir Magpie

Pica asirensis

Also known as: Arabian Magpie

General appearance

The Asir magpie is a medium-sized bird with striking black and white plumage. Its wings and tail are glossy blue, complementing the white body and black head. The tail is long with a distinctive forked shape, providing a prominent feature in flight. Its beak is black and slightly curved, enhancing its distinct profile.

Male vs female

Males and females are similar in appearance, both possessing the bright contrasting coloration of black, white, and blue. However, males may exhibit slightly more intense coloration, especially the blue gloss on their wings and tail, although this can be challenging to distinguish without close observation.

Juvenile

Juvenile Asir magpies have duller plumage compared to adults, with less glossy blue on their wings and tail. Their overall appearance is more muted, aiding in camouflage from predators. As they mature, their coloration becomes more vivid, resembling adult birds with the striking black, white, and blue tones.

Size

17.7 - 18.5 in/6.3 - 7.8 oz

There's more to learn about Asir Magpie

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Black-Billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

Also known as: American Magpie

General appearance

The black-billed magpie is unmistakable with a size about that of a crow, mallard, or herring gull, varies between 17 1/2 -22 inches (44-56 cm). It possesses distinctive coloration, featuring a black body with a green and blue gloss on its wings and long, wedge-shaped tail. Its large white wing patches are particularly noticeable during flight.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism in black-billed magpies, which means males and females look very similar to one another. Both genders share the black coloration, along with the green-blue glossy wings. The wings are broad, either fingered or rounded, and their tails are long, wedge-shaped.

Juvenile

Juvenile black-billed magpies will have similar coloration to adults, but their colors may initially appear less vibrant with the glossy wing sheen developing as they mature. Similar to adults, the juveniles' wing patches flash white during flight.

Size

17.7 - 23.6 in/5.1 - 7.4 oz

There's more to learn about Black-Billed Magpie

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How to tell the Asir Magpie from the Black-Billed Magpie

Visual differences

The Asir Magpie (Pica asirensis) and Black-Billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) share striking black, white, and blue/green plumage but differ notably. The Asir Magpie has glossy blue wings and tail, and a forked tail design. In contrast, the Black-Billed Magpie exhibits a more extensive white on its wings, and a wedge-shaped tail. The Asir Magpie's curved black beak contrasts with the Black-Billed's straight bill. Size-wise, Asir Magpies are generally shorter (17.7-18.5 inches) than Black-Billed Magpies (17.5-22 inches), although both are medium-sized birds.

Key differences and behavior

The Asir Magpie (Pica asirensis) and Black-Billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) exhibit distinct behavioral traits. Asir magpies, found in highlands of Saudi Arabia, are ground-oriented, often walking or hopping in small groups, whereas Black-Billed Magpies, common in western North America, are more adept flyers and live in open terrains and suburban areas. Asir magpies participate in elaborate courtship displays, nesting in tall trees; Black-Billed Magpies build large, globular nests in colonies, showcasing their white wing patches. Both species are omnivorous; Asir magpies primarily eat insects and fruits, while Black-Billed Magpies have a more diverse diet, including carrion and small prey. Both adapt well to human-provided feeders. The Asir Magpie faces critical endangerment, in striking contrast to the widespread Black-Billed Magpie.