Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpies are Rare year round.

Habitat

Black-billed Magpies are found in open country, They are especially suited to areas with cottonwood or willows, streams, farmland, wetlands, and orchards. During winter, they roost in streamside groves of trees or lowland conifers, although they avoid unbroken forests.

Behavior

Black-billed Magpies are intelligent and resourceful opportunists. They form large, noisy roosts in winter, sometimes numbering over 700 birds. They flip items over to look for food, follow predators, and sometimes steal food from other birds. They also take ticks from the backs of large mammals, and pick at open sores on those animals' bodies. They can even use scent to find food--an unusual trait for birds, which generally have very little sense of smell. They are often very bold, but in areas where they have been harassed, they become quite wary.