The best food for magpies, if you choose to feed them, are insects like mealworms and crickets, or high-quality, calcium-fortified dog/cat food, but it's best to offer them in moderation as treats, supplemented with calcium powder if feeding mince, and always provide fresh water; avoid bread and processed meats as they cause nutritional problems, and encourage natural foraging for worms and bugs instead.
Meat: Magpies can eat small amounts of cooked meat such as chicken, turkey, and beef. Invertebrates: Magpies can eat insects such as mealworms and crickets. Eggs: Magpies can eat hard-boiled or scrambled eggs. Peanuts: Magpies can eat unsalted peanuts.
Magpies like unsalted cashews and other nuts, unsalted scrambled/boiled egg, cat food, raw meat scraps, cheese, mealworms.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
The answer is that magpies (all birds) should never be fed dog food — and here's why: Dog food is formulated for dogs, not birds. It lacks the right balance of nutrients magpies need and can cause serious health issues.
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.
✅ High-quality dog or cat food (meat-based, not grain-heavy) – If you're out of other options, a little wet or soaked dry pet food can work. ✅ Unsalted nuts and seeds – Good for variety, but shouldn't be their main food source.
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.
Eurasian Magpies are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. In many situations, insects—and in particular, beetles—are their main food source.
MIRACLE MEAL is a complete, highly nutritious, all-natural soft food for birds and contains the correct balance of protein, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids necessary for proper growth, breeding and immune system functioning.
Putting a plain, cooked potato in a bird feeder provides birds with a valuable energy boost, especially in cold weather or during nesting season, due to its carbohydrates and vitamins, but raw potatoes must be avoided as they contain toxic solanine. Experts recommend cooked, plain, and chopped potatoes (boiled or baked) as a healthy addition to a bird's diet, but never add salt, butter, or serve them raw.
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.
Answer: Yes, birds can eat Weetabix, the unflavoured Original or Organic versions, without any milk added.
A greeting might be something like "Good morning, Mr Magpie, how are Mrs Magpie and all the other little magpies?", and a 19th century version recorded in Shropshire is to say "Devil, Devil, I defy thee! Magpie, magpie, I go by thee!" and to spit on the ground three times.
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.
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.
People sprinkle coffee grounds around bird feeders primarily to deter squirrels and other pests like rats, snakes, slugs, and ants, as they dislike the strong smell, creating a humane barrier that protects bird food without harming the animals, while also adding nutrients to the soil as a fertilizer.
Your Bird's Daily Routine
Mealtimes – Most birds eat once in the morning and once in the evening. This is a great time to be sure uneaten food is removed and food and water dishes are cleaned.
Tips for Success With a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder