Black-billed magpie

Black-billed magpie photographed in Manitoba

With its black and white plumage and long, iridescent tail that flashes green and blue in the sun, the magpie looks as if it were dressed for a formal occasion. It is a bird of open country, farmyards, and edges of woodland across southern and western Manitoba, and it stays through the winter.

Magpies are members of the crow family, and they are every bit as clever. They build large, domed nests of sticks with a side entrance, and they will cache surplus food to eat later. They are also curious and sociable, often gathering around a carcass or a feeder. Magpies can mimic other sounds, and a group of them can be surprisingly loud.

Want to learn more about the black-billed magpie and where it lives? Visit its page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Black-billed magpie photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Black-billed magpie photographed in Manitoba, 2

Black-billed magpie Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the black-billed magpie in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the black-billed magpie lives year-round, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the black-billed magpie in Manitoba through the seasons: living year-round in the Boreal Plains and the Prairies (teal). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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