# Yellow-billed Magpie (*Pica nuttalli*) The Yellow-billed Magpie is a beautiful bird with a bright yellow bill and shiny black and white feathers. They are known for their playful nature and can often be seen hopping around in groups. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Yellow-billed Magpie](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pica_nuttalli_08036.JPG&width=800) Photo: CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pica_nuttalli_08036.JPG) ## Appearance The Yellow-billed Magpie has striking black and white plumage with an iridescent green-blue sheen on its wings and tail. Its most distinctive features are its bright yellow bill and a small yellow patch of skin around each eye, making it unique among magpies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Corvidae - **Genus:** Pica ## Interesting facts - Magpies have been observed holding 'funerals' for their dead, showing complex emotions. - Their huge, dome-shaped nests are built with sticks and mud, often having multiple entrances! - They only live in California, making them a unique USA native! - Yellow-billed Magpies are one of the few bird species that can recognize themselves in a mirror! ## Special abilities - **Clever Problem-Solver:** Yellow-billed Magpies can use tools and solve complex puzzles because of their remarkable intelligence. - **Sound Mimicry:** Yellow-billed Magpies can imitate various sounds, including other bird calls and human speech, to communicate. - **Food Hider:** Yellow-billed Magpies can cleverly hide excess food in many secret spots that helps them find meals later. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 41-51 cm - **Wingspan:** 57-64 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.21 kg - **Lifespan:** 7-15 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-8 - **Incubation:** 16-18 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding These clever birds eat a varied diet of insects, seeds, fruits, and even small animals. - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Acorns, Seeds, Berries, Carrion, Small Rodents - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Juvenile magpies are prey for raptors like this hawk. - **Depends on:** [Valley Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/valley-oak) (*Quercus lobata*) — They nest and forage in the native oak trees of California. - **Eats:** [California Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-vole) (*Microtus californicus*) — Magpies often hunt small rodents, like voles, in grasslands. - **Eaten by:** [Gopher Snake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gopher-snake) (*Pituophis catenifer*) — Snakes sometimes raid magpie nests for eggs or chicks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch these birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-billed Magpie? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Yellow-billed Magpie? 41-51 cm ### What is Yellow-billed Magpie's wingspan? 57-64 cm ### How much does Yellow-billed Magpie weigh? 0.15-0.21 kg ### How long does Yellow-billed Magpie live? 7-15 years ### How fast can Yellow-billed Magpie move? 45 km/h ### What does Yellow-billed Magpie eat? These clever birds eat a varied diet of insects, seeds, fruits, and even small animals. ### Where is Yellow-billed Magpie usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Sacramento Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sacramento-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [California State Capitol](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/california-state-capitol) — California, US · Historic District - [California State Capitol Museum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/california-state-capitol-museum) — California, US · Museum - [Old Sacramento Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-sacramento-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Yellow-billed Magpie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-billed-magpie) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Yellow-billed Magpie: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-billed-magpie)