21 Interesting Magpie Facts

Published October 5, 2024

Because magpies mate for life, tradition holds that if you see a solitary magpie perched on a windowsill of your home, loneliness or death awaits._[5]
The name "magpie" is a combination of the English nickname "Mag" (short for Margaret), meaning "idle chattering," and the Latin pica, meaning someone who eats a wide variety of things._[7]
In contrast to popular belief, magpies do not steal shiny objects; in fact, they are frightened of them._[4]
Magpies are technically songbirds, even though their songs aren't as aesthetically pleasing as others._[6]
The magpie is the national bird of Korea, where the bird is a symbol of good luck and a messenger of good fortune. According to Korean legend, magpies formed a bridge to help two star-crossed lovers unite._[9]

To ward off bad luck, greet the sight of a lone magpie with the words: "Good morning, Mr. Magpie, how are Mrs. Magpie and all the other little magpies?"

According to British tradition, if you fail to salute a magpie when you walk past, you will have bad luck._[5]
In the wild, magpies live for 4 to 6 years._[6]
Because magpies are not swift fliers, they evade predators by flitting in and out of trees or diving for cover._[6]
While magpies are often seen as pests, they help control insect populations, such as grasshoppers and tent caterpillars, and they also clean up dead animal remains and trash._[6]
Magpies are protected under the Federal Migratory Birds Treaty Act, but if they are deemed a pest on farmland or other properties, a permit is not required to control them._[6]
The term "magpie" colloquially means someone who is a noisy chatterer or who talks incessantly._[6]
To befriend a magpie, the first step is to let them see your face from a distance. After that, try to make eye contact, and then tempt them with magpie-friendly food, such as fruit, cheese, or cooked meat._[3]
One of the reasons magpies have a bad reputation is because of Rossini's popular 1815 opera, The Thieving Magpie. Here, a maid is nearly sent to the gallows for stealing, until, at the last minute, the thief is revealed to be a magpie._[11]
Magpies can recognize themselves in a mirror, an ability which has only been seen in humans, apes, elephants, and dolphins. Self-awareness is one of the hallmarks of a highly evolved brain._[2]

Like other species of the family Corvidae (crows, ravens), magpies are widely considered to be intelligent creatures.

A group of magpies is called a "parliament." Other names include "gulp," "mischief," and "tidings."_[10][8]
When a magpie "swoops" you, it means they see you as a threat. It's usually a male guarding a nest, and he swoops to ask a person to leave the nesting area. Scientists say that befriending a swooping magpie is more effective than other measures at preventing swooping._[3]
According to Scandinavian lore, witches rode magpies, or they transformed into them._[1]
In ancient Rome, magpies were associated with magic and fortunetelling. In Germany, magpies could control the weather; and in Scotland, the bird was believed to have a bit of the devil's blood on its tongue._[1]

A magpie's brain-to-body-mass ratio is outmatched only by that of humans and equals that of great apes and aquatic mammals.

Magpies are one of the most intelligent animals to exist. They can make and use tools, imitate human speech, grieve, play games, and work in teams._[5]
In Britain, the magpie brings both good and bad luck, depending on how many magpies there are, as reflected in this nursery rhyme:

One for sorrow, two for mirth
Three for a wedding, four for a birth
Five for silver, six for gold
Seven for a secret not to be told
Eight for Heaven, nine for Hell
And ten for the Devil's own sell [self]
_[1]
The magpie has a more positive reputation outside of European culture than inside. In Native American culture, the magpie was believed to be a friend of hunter-gatherer tribes. In China, the bird was associated with happiness, foretelling, and good fortune. In Korea, the magpie was believed to a bearer of good news._[1]