Black-billed Magpie (American Magpie)

The Black-billed Magpie is a large, striking bird with a very long tail, unmistakable black, white, and iridescent blue-green plumage, and a raspy call. Highly intelligent and social, they belong to the crow family.

Striking high-contrast pattern featuring a stark white inner vane and web sharply bordered by glossy black or dark iridescent outer vane and tip, anchored by a pale shaft.

Pennaceous structure with tightly interlocked barbs and barbules creating a smooth, durable vane surface, with a small plumulaceous tuft at the base.

Smooth, firm, and glossy with a strong, flexible rigidity suited for aerodynamic flight and daily wear.

Sharp, high-contrast division of stark white and glossy black along the vane with a sturdy white-based rachis.

Open country, foothills, sagebrush plains, farmlands, and edges of coniferous forests, often near water or riparian corridors.

Western and central North America, extending from Alaska and western Canada down through the western United States to the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains.

Acts as an omnivorous scavenger, predator, and seed disperser, often shaping local food webs and occasionally building large domed stick nests used by other species.

Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli), which shares nearly identical feather patterns but has a yellow bill and is restricted to California.

Magpies are among the few non-mammal species known to recognize themselves in a mirror test, demonstrating high cognitive self-awareness.

Good condition with minor wear at the edges, intact barbs, and no major structural damage or fault bars.