yes, i'm a nest robber. i'm also very well dressed.
Magpie says
Bird 22 of 30 · video, 36:19
Magpie
Pica pica
Unmistakable in black and white, with a harsh chatter, an impregnable thorny nest and a very mixed reputation.
- Large, 212.9 g
- Not stated
- Hedge or shrub
- High in a tree
- On a feeder or bird table
- In a tree
About the magpie
Marks and dots
Tap a numbered dot, or a name in the list.
Black and white, familiar and unmistakable.
A long, stiff tail: at least a third of its length.
From egg to adult
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Egg
Eggs5–6 eggs≠BTOthe video says 4–7 eggs
Hatch after20 days≠BTOthe video says 21 days
-
Chick in the nest
In the nest forabout 28 days video, BTO agrees
-
Young bird
The fledged young leave the nest at about four weeks old.
Adult
Pied black and white; long tail
Broods a year1 brood video, BTO agrees
BTO averages: 20 days incubating the eggs, then 28 days in the nest. Averages across nest records, so the figures above can differ a little.
At the table
- eggs and nestlings of smaller birds
A nest robber by trade, taking both the eggs and the nestlings of smaller birds.
This page mentions bird tables. Since April 2026 the RSPB and the BTO advise against them, and say to feed seeds and peanuts only from November to April. What changed, and why.
Through the year
Magpie: first eggs laid 8 Apr to 4 May, average 22 Apr (BTO); first chicks leave the nest 24 May to 24 Jun (worked out from BTO).
What to know about the magpie
Eight short notes in our own words. Each chip says what the note stands on, and links to its row in the table below.
What to look for
Familiar and unmistakable: pied plumage with a long tail. BTO says at least a third of its length is the long, stiff tail.
Male and female
Males and females look identical, and both are protective, attentive parents.
Nest
A magpie's own nest is pretty much impregnable, covered with a dome of thorns and best placed in a thorny bush or tree.
Staying or leaving
Numbers have steadily increased, and this resourceful, unquestionably intelligent bird now does as well in suburbs as in the country.
In the garden
Not always a welcome visitor to the bird table, since many people blame the magpie for the fall in British songbirds, which the video calls a worsening problem. It is one bird you will have no trouble attracting, which matters if you dislike noisy gatherings of roosting magpies.
Sources and checks
Where every fact about the magpie came from
17 claims about the magpie: 5 checked, 7 from the video only,2 differ, 3 from a source only. How the grades work
| Claim, in our words | Video time | Grade | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| The magpie has familiar and unmistakable pied plumage. | 36:19 | checked | BTO, read 2026-10-05BTO describes iridescent black and white plumage. |
| BTO says at least a third of the magpie's 45 cm length is the long, stiff tail. | source only | source only | BTO, read 2026-10-05BTO's introduction to the species. |
| Male and female magpies look identical. | 37:17 | video only | |
| The magpie has a harsh chattering call. | 36:19 | checked | BTO, read 2026-10-05BTO describes a repetitive chac-chac-chac call, often made when agitated. |
| The magpie is not always a welcome visitor to the bird table; many regard it as responsible for depleting the British songbird population. | 36:25 | video only | |
| Magpies are protective, attentive parents. | 37:22 | video only | |
| It is one bird you will have no difficulty attracting, though some people dislike noisy gatherings of roosting magpies. | 37:29 | video only | |
| Magpie numbers have steadily increased. | 36:40 | checked | BTO, read 2026-10-05BTO says numbers grew through the late 20th century as persecution lessened. |
| This resourceful, intelligent bird has adapted to flourish in suburban habitats as well as rural ones. | 36:45 | video only | |
| The magpie is a nest robber by trade, taking both the eggs and nestlings of smaller birds. | 36:54 | video only | |
| Its own nest is pretty much impregnable, covered by a dome of thorns, preferably on a thorny bush or tree. | 37:00 | video only | |
| Four to seven eggs.video: 4–7 eggs | 37:11 | ≠differs | BTO, read 2026-10-05: 5–6 eggs (BTO typical)outside BTO's typical range of 5–6, though inside the 2–9 BTO has observed |
| Just one brood each year.video: 1 brood | 37:14 | checked | BTO, read 2026-10-05: 1 brood (BTO typical)inside BTO's typical range of 1 |
| The eggs hatch after 21 days.video: 21 days | 37:14 | ≠differs | BTO, read 2026-10-05: 20 days (BTO typical)outside BTO's typical range of 20, though inside the 17–23.5 BTO has observed |
| The fledged young leave the nest at about four weeks old.video: about 28 days | 37:24 | checked | BTO, read 2026-10-05: 26–31 days (BTO typical)inside BTO's typical range of 26–31 |
| Adult weight, from ringing records: 212.9 g, adult average. | source only | source only | BTO, read 2026-10-05: 212.9 g, adult average |
| Timing of the first clutch: first eggs laid around 22 Apr (8 Apr-4 May). | source only | source only | BTO, read 2026-10-05: first eggs laid around 22 Apr (8 Apr-4 May) |
Written in our own words after “British Birds in your Garden” by The Great British Channel, where the magpie starts at 36:19.Numbers are checked against the BTO's page for the magpie, read on 5 October 2026. We are not connected to the channel or to the BTO.
More birbs: 30 so far, and more to come
The coins down the right of the screen are all 30. Tap one to go to that bird.