Magpie birds

Photo credit: sillypieces from morguefile.com

Like other members of the Corvidae family, the magpie appears frequently in folklore and is surrounded by much superstition. Groups of magpies have long been used to foretell the future, albeit rather broadly.

A single magpie is associated with bad luck

You should make sure to greet magpies when they are encountered in order to either allay bad luck or encourage good luck as related to the number of birds and therefore their place in the Magpie poem.

Common greetings include "Hello Mr Magpie"

"How is your wife/where is your wife?"

"Good Morning/Evening Sir" and other marks of respect.

Upon seeing a lone magpie one should repeat the words "I defy thee" seven times.

On seeing a lone magpie one should pinch the person they are walking with, if they are alone they are to pinch themselves.

If a lone Magpie is seen, one should salute it to show you respect it.

This formality can be forgone if the Magpie looks directly in your eyes, which shows it respects you.

Whenever I see a lone Magpie I do say, "Hello Sir!" and I will try to avoid glancing in its direction again! It has become almost a habit now and I don't think I will ever not say it when I see one.

In the 19th century book, A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar, a proverb concerning magpies is recited:

"A single magpie in spring, foul weather will bring".

The book further explains that this superstition arises from the habits of pairs of magpies to forage together only when the weather is fine.

In Norway, a magpie is considered cunning and thievish, sometimes wicked, but a playful and loud bird is also bringer of good weather.

An old English folk tale states that when Jesus was crucified on the cross, all of the world's birds wept and sang to comfort him in his agony. The only exception was the magpie, and for this, it is forever cursed.

In Scotland, a Magpie near the window of the house foretells death.

In Scottish folklore, (in a story possibly related to the above) magpies were long reviled for allegedly carrying a drop of Satan's blood under their tongues.

In both Italian and French folklore, magpies' penchant for picking up shiny items is thought to be particularly directed towards precious ones.

In German folklore the magpie is also seen as a thief.

In the Middle Ages and during the witch-hunts in Europe, the bird was considered to be connected with witchcraft - just like crows, ravens and black cats.

In China, instead of being a sign of misfortune, European magpie is considered to be a lucky sign. The name is literally "happiness magpie."

A British children's TV show called Magpie featured a theme song based on the "one for sorrow" rhyme, and featured a large cartoon Magpie as its mascot or logo.

Two English football clubs, Notts County and Newcastle United are nicknamed "The Magpies" due to their black and white striped playing kits. Notts County's club crest depicts a football on which perch two magpies.

The magpie made its appearance in cartoons in the form of two animated birds named Heckle and Jeckle.

A magpie named Snipes with a snobbish disposition is a main character in the film Rock-A-Doodle.

La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The very distinct overture is well known, and has been used by the Scottish band Marillion. A magpie with a ring in its beak is depicted on several of the band's early albums.

Musician Patrick Wolf's song 'Magpie', found on The Magic Position, utilizes a version of the magpie rhyme and also references its thieving ways.

In Gerald Durrell's book My Family and Other Animals, the author tells of how he had two of the birds that he called the "Magenpies".

The Magpie is a medium-sized bird. Its body is black and white and its tail is a wedge shape. Wings are short, broad and rounded.

The crown of the head is flatish and the bill is medium-sized but powerful. The wings have a iridescent blue-green sheen.

Males are slightly larger than the females. Juveniles are duller, with less iridescence and dirtier white feathers.

Moult begins in June or July and ends in September or October.

Magpies often raid other birds nests and even harry other birds to make them drop their food. If a cat ventures near to a magpie, the magpie will call other magpies and they will harry the feline.

Magpies may be seen singly, perched on top of a tree or bush. It travels frequently in pairs or larger groups. It has been known to travel in groups of 100 or more. It is territorial when nesting but the area may be visited by non-breeding young birds.

Magpies stores food, when it is plentiful, usually within its territory.

It walks or hops with the tail held above its back.

Magpies are omnivorous and will eat pretty much anything.

Examples are:

Fruit
Berries
Carrion
Beetles
Dog faeces

Will catch and kill live prey e.g. small mammals and young birds. Will raid nests.

Will eat mainly insects and invertebrates in the summer and vegetable material in the winter.

Nest building begins mid-winter. Both birds build a substantial structure of twigs, small branches and mud with a softer lining.

Magpies like areas with trees or high shrubs which have a clearing near by. Their nests are dome shaped and have a roof; they are made out of sticks. It has a side entrance. Their eggs are blueish green and they lay 3 to 9 from late March.

The eggs are incubated by the female for 18 days and the young leave the nest at 24 days.

They stay with the parents for a further 6 weeks.

They are widespread in Britain, Ireland, Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America.

In all, there are 11 races of Magpies.

Magpies are sedentary over most of their range with many individuals seldom moving more than a kilometre from where they hatched.

Some do disperse after nesting in the north.

A single magpie seen flying around a house denotes bad luck.

To see a magpie perched atop a house means you should rearrange a journey.

A single magpie seen on the way to church indicates that death is present.

A magpie on a windowsill warns of an immediate death.

If a flock of magpies suddenly abandon a nesting area, hard times are ahead.

A single magpie denotes foul weather (presumably arising from the fact that pairs of magpies only forage together when the weather is fine.)

A chattering magpie denotes the arrival of a stranger.

Magpie, magpie, chatter and flee,
Turn up thy tail and good luck fall me.

Other ways of averting the evil are to take off one's hat on seeing the bird, bow, wish it 'Good day', or blow a kiss to it; or spit over the left shoulder; or turn round three times; or cross one's fingers and say:

I cross the magpie,
The magpie crosses me;
Bad luck to the magpie,
And good luck to me.