The breeding biology of magpies Pica pica in an urban environment

Abstract

The colonisation of British cities by magpies is a recent phenomenon. This work presents an analysis of magpie breeding biology in the urban environment of south Manchester; laying date, nesting success, clutch size, incubation period, hatching success and nestling success have been investigated and where possible, are contrasted with the situation in rural areas. A proportion of magpies in Manchester renovate an old nest for the breeding attempt, a habit which is uncommon in rural populations. As a result of this, the average laying date for urban magpies is advanced relative to that of the surrounding rural areas. Another aspect of the urban breeding ecology which differed from that of rural magpies was the high frequency and success rate of repeat breeding attempts following an initial failure. These increased fledgling productivity by 25%, so that the average annual breeding sucess in the Manchester urban environment was 1·55 young per pair, which is one of the highest recorded for the magpie.

Nest site selection of the Magpie Pica pica sericea in Beijing of China

“…Jerzak [32] found in Zielona Góra, Poland, a positive correlation between the distribution of the Magpie breeding pairs and tree density. Similar observations were done in Manchester, UK, by Tatner [50] and in Lvov, Ukraine by Bokotey [8]. Birkhead et al [7] in Sheffield, UK, found also that the Magpie density was related to/depended on the distribution of suitable nesting sites (high trees).…”

“…In Manchester, UK, about 38% nests were in Populus sp. [50], 44% nests in Zielona Góra, Poland, [32], and 49% in Cracow, Poland [5]. Many other authors describe that the Magpies often build nests in Populus sp.…”

Differences in the timing of reproduction between urban and forest European blackbirds (Turdus merula): result of phenotypic flexibility or genetic differences?

“…Tatner 1982;Dhondt et al 1984;Bowman et al 1998). Thus, the general phenomenon of an earlier breeding season in urban ecosystems can not be explained by a reduced migratory disposition.…”

Non-parental infanticide in a dense population of the Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)

“…Adaptive explanations for non-parental infanticides involve direct exploitation (using offspring as food), sexual selection (mate replacement), and resource competition (access to food, nest site, territory, etc.). Although magpies are known to consume eggs and offspring of passerine birds, including suspected predation on their own species (Tatner 1982;Jerzak 2002), the perpetrator did not consume any part of the body of the nestlings during the attacks, and the nestlings were found dead under the nest without any signs of being eaten. Thus, we can exclude the exploitation hypothesis as the explanation for this case of infanticide.…”