The YellowBilled Magpie (Pica nuttalli) live only in the Central Valley of California. Because of its rarity some birders travel from around the country just to see our special magpie. The highly social Birds and Bird Watching birds prefer to build nests high up in trees, normally oaks. Magpies are not picky about their diets, eating earthworms, insects, eggs and young from other birds nests, and roadkill. Around Davis and Central California magpies take full advantage of the fresh fruits, grains and berries grown by farmers. In the Weather Fall, acorns are also an important food source.

In the Arboretum and around Davis you can easily spot magpie nests high up in the trees.  They are huge and domeshaped, constructed from loosely thatched sticks, mud, and grass.  In late February the birds lay six to eight eggs in these nests.

There are a lot of these hanging around Olive Tree Lane/on Russel by Arlington. The walnut trees, random roadkill, and freshly tilled land makes for an excellent meal I bet.

Magpies are a close relative of Crow Migration crows and WesternScrub Jays jays and share their gregarious behavior with them.

A recent Sacramento Bee article (http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/840247.html Magpies threatened by West Nile virus  SacBee, April 6, 2008) revealed that the magpies are particularly vulnerable to the West Nile Virus. One of the interviewees speculates that if the birds continue to die from the virus at current rates, they could be extinct in 34 years.

If you see a dead bird, please report it here: http://townsend.ucdavis.edu/reportadeadbird/

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