Yes, magpies absolutely love scrambled eggs, finding them a great source of protein and nutrients, especially when cooked plain (no salt or butter) and offered as a treat alongside their usual diet of insects, nuts, seeds, and lean meats. Many people feed their local magpies scrambled eggs, often mixed with mealworms or cat food, and the birds readily devour them, making it a popular and effective way to attract and nourish them.
Bird Vet - Magpie Diet
2 eggs scrambled . MIX WELL TOGETHER - Place good handful of mix into small freezer bag...and repeat to you have a collection of little food parcels then freeze them.
Unfortunately, they can be trouble for poultry keepers. Magpies will steal chicken's eggs and even kill chicks and young birds if they can get to them. Magpies can kill chicks and young birds, but magpies can steal or eat eggs from nest boxes inside chicken houses as well when you're not around.
For Kookaburras, Magpies, Currawongs and Butcher Birds -
These birds mostly eat meat, not beef or mince, but whole spiders, mice and cockroaches.
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.
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.
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.
There's one thing you need to make the magpie friendly to you: time. Unlike pets, which will run to you if you call them, they are not and have poor eyesight. The best signal to attract them is the absence of an active signal – calmness and silence.
Food sources commonly offered to magpies include bread, mincemeat, bird seed and pet food, all of which can lead to nutritional imbalances and life threatening complications.
Typically, birds cannot digest lactose – so it's best to avoid feeding your backyard birds dairy products like milk, cheese or yoghurt. Most cheese is also high in fat and salt and prone to mould growth, and can attract unwelcome visitors like vermin to your bird feeder.
Baby magpies leave the nest before their tail feathers have grown. They live on the ground and are fed and protected (often by swooping) by the parents during the day and are hidden in undergrowth overnight. Members of the public sometimes confuse this act of nature with magpie babies being deserted or in distress.
Scrambled or boiled eggs are great for wild birds. Protein and calcium-packed eggs support chicks and adult birds with energy and muscle building nutrients.
Magpies love:
Open woodlands with tall trees but no understory. Big, old trees which give them somewhere safe to build their nests and sleep at night.
Good Foods for Magpies:
✅ Raw or lean cooked meat – A great protein boost, but don't overdo it, and avoid anything salty. ✅ Cooked or raw eggs – Full of nutrients and easy to digest. ✅ Insects and mealworms – These mimic their natural diet and are a great snack.
1 egg, splash of water, scramble, and put in the microwave COVERED (or else it'll cover the inside of your microwave) for ~2mins. Then let cool because warm food makes them hormonal. I can only watch your birds mine won't go near them like fruits!
Their lifespan is unknown, but some have lived up to 30 years. Where do they live? Magpies adapt well to open, cleared environments and thrive in locations that have a combination of large tracts of lawn for foraging, scattered trees for nesting and protection, and water.
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.
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.
The following variety of bird food is excellent for feeding magpies and attracting them into gardens.
While some believe one magpie is an omen of bad luck, many people would look around to spot another magpie to negate the bad luck, or they would greet the singular magpie with a “Good morning, Mr Magpie.
And since magpies can live between 25 and 30 years and are territorial, they can develop lifelong friendships with humans. This bond can extend to trusting certain people around their offspring.
When it comes to what to feed magpies at home, it's best to interfere with their natural diet as little as possible. 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.
A group of magpies is most commonly called a mischief, a tiding, or a charm, but other fun names include a conventicle, congregation, or even a tribe. These diverse terms reflect the birds' often busy and social nature, with "mischief" possibly alluding to their clever, sometimes thieving behavior.
Many Australians report magpies singing while perched nearby or following them. This behaviour isn't random; it's a sign of recognition and possibly even affection.
According to some christian traditions, the magpie is a really bad piece of work. Their traditions (not from the Bible) say that the magpie represents the devil because during the crucifixion of Jesus a dove and a magpie sat on the cross. The dove apparently caught one of Christ's tears but the magpie never.