Nodus Tollens

Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons) in Brazil

crows and ravens have demostrated a knowledge of ‘fairness’ - and demand equal treatment. researchers did an ‘inequity test’ on the birds. some birds received cheese, a high value treat, and others received a piece of grape, which was not desirable. those who received the grape started refusing to accept it. the researchers then performed an ‘effort control’ test. some birds were given a piece of cheese with nothing required of them. other birds could choose from cheese or a grape - but had to exchange a token for them. again, the birds that were being treated unfairly refused to cooperate.

the eurasian magpie is a member of the corvid family, with a large range and familiarity with people in urban environments.

eurasian magpies are highly regarded for their intelligence. magpies have been observed using tools, caching food and remembering its location months later, and recognizing themselves in mirrors. their intelligence has been compared to that of great apes.

some view the magpie’s coloring as bland; as from some angles, it is only black and white, which some find uninteresting. however, in the right light, large patches of the bird’s body are iridescent and appear shades of metallic blues and greens.

magpies were originally known only as ‘pies’, thought to be derived from ‘pied’ in reference to the bird’s markings. ‘mag’ was tacked on in the 16th century as a short version of ‘margaret’, which was not only a name but used to refer to women in general; it was used as a derogatory reference to ‘women’s chatter’. ironically, magpies have fantastic mimicry ability, and have extensive ‘vocabularies’ - they can mimic dogs, birds of prey, wildlife, and even human speech.

magpies feed off of insects, small animals & birds (as well as their eggs), fruit, plant matter, and acorns. in urban areas they sometimes scavenge for human leftovers. some believe magpies decimate local bird populations, but no scientific proof has been found indicating magpies are a major threat to other birds.

magpies are intensely protective of their nestlings, which has sometimes led to them being branded as aggressive or mean. magpie offspring are poor fliers even after leaving the nest, and their parents have good reason to worry; researchers found only 22% of young magpies make it to their first birthday.

eurasian magpies are currently rated least concern by the iucn. they have managed to hang on well even with increasing development; hopefully these smart birds continue to adapt and survive.

source: (x)

EVERYBODY WANTS CORVIDS UNTIL ITS TIME TO PAY THE PIPER!!!

Here are a few favorites...

Tufted Jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi), family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, endemic to Mexico

photograph by Daniel Garza Tobón

Yucatan Jays (Cyanocorax yucatanicus), L - juvenile, R - adult, family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico

photograph by Shawn Conlon (@shawnconlonphotography)

Green Jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus), family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, near Roma, TX, USA

photograph by Alan Wilson

Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), family Corvidae, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

photograph by @mikullashbee

Rufous Treepies (Dendrocitta vagabunda), family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, Jahalana, India

photograph by Charles J. Sharp

Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), EAT A TASTY PINE NUT!!!, family Corvidae, Siskiyou Crest, OR, USA

photograph by Frank D. Lospalluto

Bornean Green Magpie (Cissa jefferyi), family Corvidae, Crocker Mountain Range, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo

photograph by Henrick Tan

Common Green Magpies (Cissa chinensis), family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, Latpanchar, West Bengal, India

photograph by Pranab Kumar Misra

Yellow-breasted or Indochinese Green Magpie (Cissa hypoleuca), BATH TIME!!!, family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, Viet Nam

photographs by Leo Ngo

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia), family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, western USA

American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), EAT A TASTY WORM!!!, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, Bryant Park, NYC, NY, USA

AKA Timberdoodle, Bogsucker, Mud Bat, and the Labrador Twister!

I love rats <3

*reluctant sigh*

*scrolls back up*