Red-billed blue magpie
Urocissa erythroryncha
This brightly coloured member of the crow family has a long tail with striking blue and white feathers which are thought to be used during courtship displays. The bill, legs, feet and ring around the eye are also vibrant tones of orange and red.
Crows, in general, and magpies especially are considered to be very intelligent birds. They are the same size as the European magpie except with a much longer tail. They can be up to 68cm long and weigh up to 232g.
We became home to this bird in 2016 when we welcomed a male bird from Chester Zoo and a female bird from Paignton Zoo. In 2017, we celebrated when two chicks hatched.
IUCN red list status
The IUCN status of the red-billed blue magpie is least concern.
For more info on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org.
Animal class
Bird
Conservation status
The IUCN considers the red-billed blue magpie to not be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Habitat
Mountainous forests
Population
There is not currently enough information regarding the population of this bird.
Diet
Omnivore. This bird eats a wide range of food, such as invertebrates, small mammals, fruit and seeds. On occasion they will rob nests of chicks and eggs.