Magpies are getting clever

[Whingey]

Saw them stick their beaks in closed polystyrene chip boxes and bang them until chips fell out 😬

Magpies are brilliant. if I put some stale bread on the bird table they pick a piece up and dunk it in the cat's water bowl to moisten it before eating. Like a soup.

They are very noisy though.

They are incredibly clever.
They can recognise faces and learn routines.
They are fabulous, murderous bastards, but fabulous!!

They've always been clever! They'll take over the world at some point

Corvids are recognised as very clever, high up the IQ tree of nature! Chris Packham probably features them in his Animal Einsteins programme, I haven't watched

Something very unnerving about a magpie....

They are related to crows aren't they? And crows are really clever.

Not related to magpies but I once saw a squirrel drag a kebab out of a bin.

I suppose it’s easier than hunting for nuts

Urgh urgh urgh I hate them.

I have a bird phobia and magpies are right up there with seagulls at the top of my Room 101 list.

I remember being on study leave for my A Levels and hearing screaming coming from the garden. Looked out the window and two magpies were fighting in what looked like a battle royale. One eventually murdered the other and its corpse lay under the carport until my dad got home from work < not envy

Yup. The ASBO bastards used to fuck up my milkman-delivery bread and eggs. Had to buy a clip lock box to put them in. I KNOW they are tying to work out how to get in there. Arseholes.

Isn't it because they just had their batteries recharged during lockdown so they're now more active?

Crows have learnt to put walnuts in front of small cars not large ones when they want them crushed, they wait for the lights to turn red then put the nuts there.

We used to feed the magpies in our garden and if we forgot they would knock on the window indignantly with their beaks.

If they ever develop opposable thumbs we're screwed

U.K. ones are nice. Antipodean magpies are fucking horrendous hell beasts that should not exist.

@groundcontroltomontydon

If they ever develop opposable thumbs we're screwed

@en0la

Crows have learnt to put walnuts in front of small cars not large ones when they want them crushed, they wait for the lights to turn red then put the nuts there.

Wow, that’s amazing 😁

Our magpies can tell the difference between DH and I, and scarper when he goes to the window but are not scared of me in the slightest. They are destroying our lawn eating grubs.

Blackbirds are really smart too. They know who their friends are!

@GreenSlide

Blackbirds are really smart too. They know who their friends are!

Yes! We used to have a blackbird visitor, would tap on the window for seeds and then taught his/her offspring to do the same.

Ok so now I am scared of birds being more smart than me and then taking over the world.

@Toega

U.K. ones are nice. Antipodean magpies are fucking horrendous hell beasts that should not exist.

Especially during swooping season. God help you if you were anywhere near their nest!

But yes, British maggies are gorgeous. Always salute one on its own 😊

Bloody magpies always tearing up my recycling trying to steal my tinfoil. Not as bad as seagulls though bloody thieving bustards I once bought a lovely gourmet ice cream about to take a look when one swooped behind me and took it out my hands flew up on a roof and scoffed the lot cone and all greedy little shit honeycomb flavour too

"lick"

This thread is so sweet . Awesome little creatures.

They're not that bright. One got into our house a few months ago and just kept throwing itself at the window trying to get out.

I eventually trapped it in a laundry basket and threw a blanket over that and it stopped the kamikaze slam against the glass.

Then I carried the whole thing out of the front door to release it.

The whole way through, it's mate was sitting in the tree outside yelling to him 'get out, Geoff! I'm over here, what are you doing?! Oh god she's coming at you with the broom now watch it.. Geoff!! She's getting the laundry basket.. and a blanket..... Geoff??? .......Where did you go??" God he was noisy!!