Hat Rock State Park, Umatilla County, Oregon
While this Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica) is slightly obscured in this photograph, it is nonetheless one of the most visible and ubiquitous avian characters in this sagebrush steppe landscape. Unmistakable and showy in its black-and-white plumage and long tail typical of the magpies, this handsome member of the crow family shares many genes with its cousins: the ravens, crows and jays, as well as Clark’s Nutcracker, first described to western science by Meriwether Lewis. There are 103 species worldwide in the corvidae family, known for their high intelligence, excellent memory and problem-solving skills. They are also famous for their ability to mimic the sounds of other birds and animals, and even the human voice when kept in captivity.
On September 16, 1804, Captain Lewis reported in his journal that a member of the Corps of Discovery had shot and killed one of these birds. It is a common bird in Europe, but no one knew until this time that it could also be found in western North America. It was an interesting discovery, given that animals found in habitats separated by great distances usually are of a different species, if not different families. In this case, an argument can be made to categorize the European and North American black-billed magpies as different sub-species at the most.
Lewis and Clark had many encounters with these crafty birds who did not hesitate to approach the men closely so as to steal morsels of meat when game was being skinned. Magpies were among the live animals shipped back down the Missouri River to President Thomas Jefferson for his inspection. Along with other specimens, Lewis sent four magpies to Washington, but in the end, only one survived the trip. The fact that even one weathered the journey is remarkable considering that the bird had made a trip of over four months and more than 4,000 miles, all the while having numerous caretakers feeding it who knows what, and being subjected to extremes of temperature and other hazardous conditions.
While this Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica) is slightly obscured in this photograph, it is nonetheless one of the most visible and ubiquitous avian characters in this sagebrush steppe landscape. Unmistakable and showy in its black-and-white plumage and long tail typical of the magpies, this handsome member of the crow family shares many genes with its cousins: the ravens, crows and jays, as well as Clark’s Nutcracker, first described to western science by Meriwether Lewis. There are 103 species worldwide in the corvidae family, known for their high intelligence, excellent memory and problem-solving skills. They are also famous for their ability to mimic the sounds of other birds and animals, and even the human voice when kept in captivity.
On September 16, 1804, Captain Lewis reported in his journal that a member of the Corps of Discovery had shot and killed one of these birds. It is a common bird in Europe, but no one knew until this time that it could also be found in western North America. It was an interesting discovery, given that animals found in habitats separated by great distances usually are of a different species, if not different families. In this case, an argument can be made to categorize the European and North American black-billed magpies as different sub-species at the most.
Lewis and Clark had many encounters with these crafty birds who did not hesitate to approach the men closely so as to steal morsels of meat when game was being skinned. Magpies were among the live animals shipped back down the Missouri River to President Thomas Jefferson for his inspection. Along with other specimens, Lewis sent four magpies to Washington, but in the end, only one survived the trip. The fact that even one weathered the journey is remarkable considering that the bird had made a trip of over four months and more than 4,000 miles, all the while having numerous caretakers feeding it who knows what, and being subjected to extremes of temperature and other hazardous conditions.
