16.5-inch, Life-Sized Black-billed Magpie
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This 16.5-inch, Life-Sized Black-billed Magpie carving was hand-crafted from solid Basswood. The Black-billed Magpie can be readily identified as a Magpie by its black-and-white markings and unusually, long tail with iridescent, green highlights. The white wing patches flash when in flight. The back bill and its range of habitat distinguish this species from the look-alike Yellow-billed Magpie. The ranges almost overlap, and the Black-billed Magpies casually stray south and east of their normal range in winter. Gregarious and noisy, typical calls of the Black-billed Magpie include a whining mag and a series of loud, harsh chuck notes. The calls and many behavioral traits resulted in the North American Black-billed Magpie being split from the Old world populations of Magpie, whose calls are faster and lower-pitched. Commonly inhabits the open woodlands and thickets in rangelands and foothills, especially along watercourses.
Reference
National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds of North America, Fifth Edition, Page 324
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