Black-billed Magpie (American Magpie)

This is a soft body feather from a Black-billed Magpie, a large, long-tailed corvid known for its striking black-and-white plumage and iridescent blue-green wings. While the bird is famous for its bold colors, many of its insulating feathers are monochromatic grey or white.

Pale greyish-white to light brown gradient; transition from a dusky center to lighter edges; lack of high-sheen iridescence suggests a ventral feather.

Pennaceous at the distal end (interlocked) and plumulaceous (downy) at the proximal base for insulation.

Soft, silky, and matte; slightly downy at the base with a smooth, flexible distal vane.

Light coloring, downy base, delicate rachis, and size consistent with a medium passerine body feather.

Open woodlands, riparian thickets, sagebrush, and urban edges/farms.

Western North America, from southern Alaska to central California and east to the Great Plains.

Omnivorous scavenger and predator; helps control insect populations and cleans up carrion; prey for large hawks.

American Crow (darker), Steller's Jay (bluer), or Black-headed Grosbeak (smaller, different shape).

Black-billed Magpies are one of the few North American birds that build domed nests. They are highly intelligent and have been known to engage in 'funerals' for deceased magpies.

Good condition; slight mechanical wear at the tip (fraying); possibly naturally molted as the calamus looks intact.