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Green Magpies

 
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The Green Magpies (Cissa chinensis) is a member of the Crow family.

 

Description

It is roughly about the size of the Eurasian Jay or slightly smaller.

This magpie got its name from its vivid green color. However, as you will note from some of the photos on this page, some are BLUE.

They are slightly lighter on the underside and have a thick black stripe from the bill (through the eyes) to the nape.

The tail is quite long and tapered with white tips.

This all contrasts vividly with the reddish fleshy eye rims, red bill, and legs.

The wing primaries (longest wing feathers) are reddish maroon also and make this one of the most striking and distinctive members of the whole family.

 

Distribution / Range

It is found from the lower Himalayas in northeastern India in a broad south easterly band down into central China, Malaysia, Sumatra, and northwestern Borneo in evergreen forest (including bamboo forest), clearings, and scrub.

 

Diet / Feeding

This bird seeks food both on the ground and in trees and takes a very high percentage of animal prey from countless invertebrates (= animals without internal skeletons, such as insects, larvae, earthworms, millipedes, snails, spiders), small reptiles, mammals and young birds and eggs.

It will also take flesh from a recently killed carcass.

 

Breeding / Nesting

The nest is built in trees, large shrubs, and often in tangles of various climbing vines. There are usually 4–6 eggs laid.

 

Calls / Vocalization

The voice is quite varied but often a harsh peep-peep. It also frequently whistles and chatters.

 

Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org … Some information added by Avianweb

 


 

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Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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