# General > Biodiversity >  Magpie

## shazzap

I was looking up the difference, between Rooks and Crows today. Whilst doing so, i found out something of interest. Apparently, Magpies are not seen in the Highlands. One web page i looked at, said they are not found in Scotland at all. Those in the know. Is this true.

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## Ballymore

Yep, this is true.  Never seen one north of Inverness - it has to do with what they feed on.

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## shazzap

Why what is missing, in the food chain, in Scotland?

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## flojo

Magpies have been seen in Strath Halladale and Shebster for a few years.

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## Haweswater

Magpies are a pretty common sight around parts of the Central Belt, particularly around and in Glasgow. As for the Highlands, they are uncommon with the odd breeding pair turning up here and there. I recall a pair in Rumster Forest back in the 1970's but breeding proved a failure. Although I've not seen them I was aware of the Strath Halladale birds.

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## Aaldtimer

We don't really want them...murderous to song bird populations! ::

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## Birdie Wife

There are a few breeding pairs of magpies north of Inverness, they reamin uncommon, probably because they occupy the same niche as hooded crows.

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## Ballymore

Found some info on Magpies - check this site, has loads of interesting info on other birds too: 

http://www.jacobijayne.co.uk/21-facts

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## nirofo

> We don't really want them...murderous to song bird populations!


Magpies are only doing what they need to do to survive, it's humans that are the murderers of song bird populations with their relentless destruction of wild habitat, the spraying of insects with pesticides and the killing of wild flowers and vegetation with herbicides. The wet meadows, the bogs and heaths, the hedgerows have nearly all gone, these wild places used to support all sorts of different flowers and plants which in turn attracted insects which the birds used to feed on. Because these habitats are no longer with us neither is the wildlife it used to support, this includes the song birds.

Don't blame the Magpies for the demise of our song birds, we are the cause !!!

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## Aaldtimer

All the more reason to celebrate the Magpies abscence IMHO.

I think though that these are more enlightened times as to the problems yiou mention Nirofo, and a lot is being done to reverse them. :Grin:

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## starfish

i agree with a lot that nirofo has said. We were paid by the government to take out hedgerow filled in ditches now they are paying for them to put back,In norfolk and essex farmer pulled out hedges then the top soil got blown away and fields flooded as it had no drainage. Its just  enough case of people that do not know country ways trying to be country folk , But you can not blame people for taking the golden hand shake , Not only did the wildlife suffer but crops got wind burn or water logged. Hopeful the reverse trend will help and we get the wild life back , Since my hedge has startd growin we noticed a lot more birds in the garden

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## smithp

> There are a few breeding pairs of magpies north of Inverness, they reamin uncommon, probably because they occupy the same niche as hooded crows.


I don't think this is that relevant. In other parts of the UK you find crows, hooded crows and magpies interspersed. However magpies are far easier caught in Larson traps than crows!

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## Birdie Wife

> I don't think this is that relevant. In other parts of the UK you find crows, hooded crows and magpies interspersed. However magpies are far easier caught in Larson traps than crows!


Hi smithp - that's interesting, thanks for the observation, I didn't know magpies went to Larson traps more than crows. I always thought crows and hooded crows occupied mostly different regions too. Do you have a theory as to why magpies are uncommon up in these parts?

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## Saveman

Last year my wife and I saw two magpies in Berriedale.

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## smithp

> Hi smithp - that's interesting, thanks for the observation, I didn't know magpies went to Larson traps more than crows. I always thought crows and hooded crows occupied mostly different regions too. Do you have a theory as to why magpies are uncommon up in these parts?


Crows and hooded crows are supposed to have distinct territories between north and south scotland, however there's probably 150 mile crossover in this boundary. I think magpies aren't allowed to be established up here; this could be down to natural reasons of competiveness or it could be down to human behaviour. Personally I think its a bit of both.

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## lingford

seen a pair at shebster while planting trees awhile back and afew  months ago seen one on the lybster road off the a9 
so there up here around some where...
as as kid i used to see them all the time..
also theres an old saying about them 1 for sorrow 2 for for joy three for agirl four its aboy etc etc.
cant mide it all so you will have to google it..

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## Birdie Wife

> Crows and hooded crows are supposed to have distinct territories between north and south scotland, however there's probably 150 mile crossover in this boundary. I think magpies aren't allowed to be established up here; this could be down to natural reasons of competiveness or it could be down to human behaviour. Personally I think its a bit of both.


So are you saying (human behaviour element=) humans are selecting magpies to remove them in preference to hooded crows? And that (natural reasons of competiveness=) they occupy a similar niche?




> seen a pair at shebster while planting trees awhile back and afew months ago seen one on the lybster road off the a9 
> so there up here around some where...
> as as kid i used to see them all the time..
> also theres an old saying about them 1 for sorrow 2 for for joy three for agirl four its aboy etc etc.
> cant mide it all so you will have to google it..


five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told... or that's how I know it.

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## smithp

I think the human element would get rid of the crows and hooded crows as well if it could be done. And yes the advantage the crows have in numbers probably deters colonys developing.

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