Yes, magpies can eat apples as a treat, but they should be given in small amounts, cut into small pieces, with seeds and core removed, as apples are just a supplement to their main diet of insects and natural foods; they aren't nutritionally complete for magpies and shouldn't replace their natural foraging.
Fresh fruit and vegetables
They can also eat pieces of bananas and stone fruit, but make sure to remove the peel and stones. Never feed birds avocado, citrus, onions or garlic – these foods are toxic for birds. Tips: fresh produce spoils quickly and should be discarded within half a day.
You should not feed magpies bread, minced meat, cheese, or processed foods, as these cause severe nutritional deficiencies, especially calcium, leading to weak bones and deformities in chicks, and can expose them to parasites. Avoid sugary, salty items, dairy, avocado, onions, and garlic, which are toxic or indigestible; instead, offer insects, worms, or fortified dog/cat food in moderation.
Fresh apples are a great source of nutrition for birds when fed in small amounts daily. Your feathered friend is likely to enjoy the taste and texture of a wide variety of apples. Both sweet and tart apples are appropriate for birds. Just be sure to remove the seeds before offering apples to your birds.
Eurasian Magpies are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. In many situations, insects—and in particular, beetles—are their main food source.
As such, if you'd really like to give the magpies a treat, try collecting bugs and worms from your garden to feed them, or purchase crickets from your local pet store. One way to feed magpies and complete a fun little project at the same time is by building a foraging tray.
Yes, magpies absolutely remember people who feed them, recognizing individual faces and associating them with positive experiences, which can lead to them becoming friendly and even waiting for you, while also remembering negative encounters like threats or cruelty for years. They can form strong bonds, with some people even hand-feeding them or having them approach to preen their hair, making them less likely to swoop during breeding season if treated well.
If you put food such as apples on the ground, space it out in different places in the garden. This will reduce competition between birds so that more birds can feed at any one time. If there is snow on the ground, clear small areas before putting down the food.
Top 15 Vegetables & Fruits That Will Kill Your Bird
The 5-7-9 rule for bird feeders is a squirrel-proofing strategy that uses distance to prevent access: place feeders at least 5 feet off the ground, 7 feet away from structures like walls or trees, and 9 feet below any overhead branches, exploiting squirrels' jumping limits to keep seeds for birds. This setup stops squirrels from leaping from the ground (5ft limit), walls (7ft horizontal jump), or dropping from above (9ft drop limit).
Humans should not feed magpies. Human food can make magpies sick and can change their natural hunting behaviour to become reliant on humans.
The belief that a solitary magpie brings bad luck is widespread in the UK and Ireland, but some regions have their own specific superstitions. Scotland: A single magpie near a house window signals an impending death.
Visual deterrents like realistic owl decoys, reflective bird diverters, or holographic strips can startle and confuse magpies. Move decoys regularly so magpies don't get used to them.
Giving magpies chocolate should be avoided at all costs, as it contains a dangerous substance called theobromine, which can be toxic to many animals, including magpies. Even small amounts of chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death in these birds.
You can also put out leftovers such as dried fruit, or fruit such as apples and pears. Don't use anything mouldy or salty though, and if you have a dog don't put out dried fruit – vine fruits, such as raisins, can be toxic to them.
The following variety of bird food is excellent for feeding magpies and attracting them into gardens.
The most toxic things to birds are often common household items and airborne fumes, with heavy metals (lead, zinc), Teflon (PTFE) fumes, and pesticides being major threats, alongside foods like avocado, caffeine, and alcohol, due to birds' sensitive respiratory systems and unique digestive needs, making them highly vulnerable to even small exposures.
Foods that are Toxic to Birds
They can make wonderful pets, but cats roaming outdoors kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year in the U.S., making cat predation by far the largest human-caused source of bird mortality.
Birds love apples but choose safe organic and remove seeds before feeding. Feeding apples has many health benefits for birds, vitamins and minerals for overall health. Keep your feeding area clean, rotate food and provide fresh water to attract and keep birds healthy in your garden.
Birds dislike strong, irritating smells like peppermint, garlic, vinegar, chili/cayenne pepper, and citronella, primarily due to chemicals like allicin (garlic) or capsaicin (chili) that irritate their senses, or sharp scents like peppermint and vinegar that disrupt their comfort; a specific compound, methyl anthranilate (from Concord grapes), also irritates their beak, eyes, and throat. While no single smell is universally hated by all species, these strong scents deter them from roosting or foraging in unwanted areas, often used in homemade sprays.
When magpies have formed an attachment they will often show their trust, for example, by formally introducing their offspring. They may allow their chicks to play near people, not fly away when a resident human is approaching, and actually approach or roost near a human.
Walk away (and make eye-contact)
Weirdly, magpies are less likely to swoop if you look at them, so lock eyes with them and stare them down until you're out of sight. If they start acting hostile, try to stay calm.
Magpies have also been noted to mimic human speech, when living in close proximity to humans. When alone, a magpie will make a quiet, musical warbling noise, which does not carry for long distances.