Even though we think of crows as mysterious creatures, people don't know much about them. In fact, as a cousin of crows, magpies are also a species with a long history. Known as the "pastoral crow" in Asia and Europe, this bird is a symbol of good luck and a brave and aggressive bird. Here, this article will give you a detailed introduction to this young and powerful bird - the magpie.
Magpies have a stunning appearance, with their feathers taking on a gorgeous dark blue color, and the reflections on these feathers make the magpie look even more brilliant. Such colors make magpies the "lucky birds" in the minds of many people, however, in real life, behind this beautiful appearance hides another side of their lives.
Magpies have quite peculiar survival habits. They are very selective about their food, and will accept almost anything that fills their stomachs, whether it be grains or insects, or even some small mammals and other herbivores and carrion. In addition, due to their strong digestive and spending powers, magpies are very picky in their foraging process and hardly miss a chance to eat. Interestingly, magpies may choose to eat dead bodies if they are starving, and the strong smell of their bodies after death can even discourage some animals.
In addition to being constantly searching for food, the magpie is also a dynamic animal. They love to fly, are good at manipulating their bodies to glide through the air, and love to fight. They have the ability to challenge other birds and even defeat more powerful birds of prey, such as adult owls. This superb skill makes the magpie a very important place among birds and beasts.
Due to the nature of magpies, they are not always popular with the world. In fact, they often become a headache for farmers in field farming and agricultural planting. Due to their natural strength and ability to fly, they are able to easily snatch crops from farmland, especially in the early stages of crop growth, and their frequent activities can even affect the growth and development of plants. What's even more strange is that magpies even feces on nuts, melons and other foods, which undoubtedly brings huge losses to farmers. Despite this, magpies are still part of nature and part of nature's magical ecological balance.
The magpie is so intelligent that many studies have shown that it reaches the level of children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. This data is not obtained in a vacuum, but is evaluated through various tests. For example, the miraculous mirror test, in which animals are painted to see if they can find the part in the mirror, undoubtedly tests the intelligence of the bird. In addition, it is worth mentioning that magpies are also one of the few birds that know how to use tools, such as smashing walnuts with stones, all of which demonstrate their extremely high level of intelligence.
We're going to talk about the fighting power of magpies. Despite their small size, they often display extraordinary vitality in combat. Whether it is a single battle or a stronger opponent, the Magpie is always fearless and bravely meets the battle with its iron stomach and steel courage. When fighting in groups, magpies often form troops of 20 to 30 people, showing a strong sense of oppression, causing many species to actively avoid it.
Humans, like nature, are not all smooth sailing, and neither are magpies. In fact, they have two main enemies: owls and pesticides. Let's start with owls, as nocturnal carnivorous birds, owls are powerful and cunning. Especially when hunting at night, magpies often have difficulty coping with sudden attacks and become their best prey.
As for pesticides, people apply a lot of pesticides on farmland to control pests, but for magpies, this is a deadly threat. Since magpies like to eat rice, the accumulation of pesticides in crops can cause harm to them and eventually put their lives at risk.
Life as a magpie is full of challenges and opportunities. We were amazed by its agility, its fighting skills, and its intelligence. But at the same time, we must also recognize the threats posed by the environment, especially the problem of pesticide residues, which urgently needs to be solved by human efforts.