Eurasian Magpie

The Eurasian magpie is a large, highly intelligent songbird found across much of Europe and Asia, easily recognized by its bold black-and-white plumage, long tail and iridescent blue-green sheen on the wings that becomes visible in good light. It is an opportunistic omnivore, eating insects, small animals, eggs, carrion, seeds and fruit, and it is known for caching food for later retrieval as well as for a longstanding, though now scientifically disputed, folk reputation for stealing shiny objects. Eurasian magpies are among the few non-mammal species shown in controlled studies to recognize themselves in a mirror, a trait linked to advanced self-awareness in a very small number of animals. The species is common and adaptable across farmland, woodland edges and urban parks and gardens throughout its wide range.