Yellow-Billed Magpie Gallery

Pica nuttalli


eBird provides this description of the Yellow-billed Magpie:  Large, striking black-and-white bird; related to crows and jays. Unmistakably long tail and bold pattern, especially visible in flight. Look for bright yellow bill and iridescent blue-green on wings and tail. Limited range in California; does not overlap with Black-billed Magpie. Prefers open areas with scattered trees, especially oaks. Often found in pairs or small family groups foraging on the ground.  The website All About Birds further describes this bird like this:  A boisterous bird that lives in California and nowhere else, the Yellow-billed Magpie is a riot of black, white, shimmering blue-green, and yellow. It lives in open oak woodlands of the Central Valley, the Coast Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada foothills. This magpie is gregarious throughout the year, even when nesting: dozens of pairs sometimes nest close to each other. This species has been hit hard by habitat loss and West Nile virus, and is on the Partners in Flight Yellow Watch List for species with restricted ranges.

I saw and photographed my first Yellow-billed Magpie on January 10, 2024, while on a Bobcat Safari with Brent Paull.  I saw quite a few Magpies as we drove around the Central Valley looking for bobcats.  Unfortunately I was not able to get any really good photos, since we were usually unable to stop in time to take pictures.  Below is the best I could do.

REAR VIEW OF THE YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE.
YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE. NOT A VERY GOOD PHOTO, BUT YOU GET A PEEK AT THE YELLOW BILL.


Cool Facts About the Yellow-billed Magpie From All About Birds:

  • In 1837, John James Audubon named Yellow-billed Magpie “Corvus nutalli” in honor of fellow naturalist Thomas Nuttall, who collected early specimens near Santa Barbara, California.
  • Yellow-billed Magpies have been seen pecking insects off the backs of mule deer.
  • The Yellow-billed Magpie makes a domelike, covered nest that requires maintenance throughout the nesting season. Pairs usually build a new nest each year, but late in the breeding season they may refurbish an old nest rather than build a new one.
  • The oldest recorded Yellow-billed Magpie was a female at least 9 years, 11 months old when she was found in California.