When I saw this beautiful bird in the park on the side of the river, I immediately thought he was the most elegant bird in the world because he looks like a bird who wear a tailcoat ^_^
He's a pica pica, also known as magpie (In Italy we call him "gazza") and this year I saw more of them, more than the past years. There is a group of 3-4 pica pica in my neighborhood and I often watch one of them in my backyard too. I have to say that the pica pica in my backyard is more "fat" than the bird in these pics, he/she looks like in a chicken size ^_^
I'm really intrigued by this kind of bird, at first because they "talk" using a sound very different from the other birds! The call of magpie is really particular, here in Italy we use to reproduce their call using the "cra-cra", but I read that in English is "chac-chac" ^_^
The Magpie is the most intelligent bird and I read that the intelligence of their family ( they are part of the corvid family) is equivalent to the apes like chimpanzees and gorillas! You have to know that it was observed that they have a mirror self-recognition capability (they are the only no mammal animals that have this capability).
People say that you have to pay attention to leave something shining around, because pica pica love so much shining things and they use to take them, but honestly I've never seen something similar happened ^_^
About this theme, you have to know that there is a famous italian opera called La gazza ladra (it means "The thieving Magpie") by Gioacchino Rossini. It's a melodramma in 2 acts and the ouverture is really fantastic!
Here in my area there are not some stories of folklore about this bird, but searching online I read that in some country there are some "legends" about the Magpie.
For example I read here that for English people (I want to ask to the English friends if it's true or not) there are old stories that say if you see one magpie then sorrow is coming you way. If you want to avert the sorrow you have to say "hello" to the magpie! (The next time I'll see the magpie I'll do it!)
I found the words of a nursery rhyme that my English teacher read to our class to teach us the languege and it's about the magpie:
One for the sorrow
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told.
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss,
Ten for a bird,
You must not miss
Now I understand better the meanings of this song of Radiohead ;)
See ya soon
Silvia
Beautiful photography
Hi @silviabeneforti, Years ago my mum lost here wedding ring while gardening, we all looked everywhere for it. my mum decided not to tell my dad and went and bought a cheaper one that looked similar to the one that went missing.
About 5 years ago me and my dad were cutting down an old dead tree and while my dad was up the ladder he stopped what he was doing and put his hand into a birds nest and pulled out my mums wedding ring.
We all had a good laugh about it and still talk about it to this day.
When my mum lost her wedding ring she remembers magpies nesting and seeing them in the garden.
It goes to show that magpies really do go for shine things.
lol
nice post brings back good memories
Such a beautiful story!!! Wow, I think it's really a proof of a love magpie have for shining things, maybe they are also romantic birds and they wanted a wedding rings for them ^^ This story reminds me when my father lost his wedding ring (just few day after his wedding!), he also bought another similar ring and said about it to my mother just some time after the lost. He din't found his lost wedding ring, but now I can think a magpie took it ^^
It could be true love of magpies, i wounder how many wedding rings go missing each year and how much in ££££ it costs us to replace.
Do you think that jewellers know that magpies take them and put the prices up of there products because they can make money from it.
I was going to mention the rhyme. There was a kids TV show called Magpie that used it as the theme tune. There are various superstitions about the birds
I also remeber a kids tv show when I was a child (many many years ago) where there was a magpie with other animals like a big cat and others. I don't remeber if there was an italian tv show or an English tv show (I watched some beautiful english tv show in my childhood, my favorite was Sapphire & Steel ^_^)
Was going to mention The Magpie TV show but you beat me too it. Didn't much care for the show even as a kid but the song still buzzes through my head like it was yesterday.
I was more of a Blue Peter kid :)
Didn't realise the Spencer Davis Group played the theme
Full version
There's many magpies in my local area and are quite common in the UK. They are generally found in pairs. I don't know if the superstition you hear is true but I have heard of it from the TV show (mentioned in another thread). I believe they mate for life and wont find another partner if one dies.
I believe the same! I read tthey are monogamous, maybe they wont another "better half" if one dies ^_^
excellent post that you have dedicated to this beautiful specimen, here in my province of Corrientes there are Magpies, but every time you see less, many years ago at the bottom of the house I gathered glasses to sell, now I understand why these beautiful birds are always their surroundings, were attracted by the bright rays of the material.
I wish you some beautiful waking days dear friend @silviabeneforti
They are really interesting bird, I know there are people who have magpies like pets because they are smart and they can learn to do different things too ^^
Happy Friday, dear friend ^^
so beautiful and lovely
amazing
In German their called Elster and people often say "diebische elster" - thieving Magpie.
Wow...amazing animal photography post.
Incredible photos of birds from around the world.
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