Iberian magpie
A species in its own right
The Iberian blue magpie and the Asian blue magpie were long considered to be the same species because of their resemblance.
The discovery of fossils, dating back more than 44,000 years, in Gibraltar in 2000 finally proved that Iberian blue magpies had been in the region for a very long time and were not the result of an introduction of Asian birds.
IUCN status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)
Description
Cyanopica cooki
Corvids
65 to 75g
35cm
Forests, meadows, orchards, olive groves
Least Concern
Not specified
Did you know?
The Iberian blue magpie is a very noisy and gregarious bird. In the evening, they gather in roosts where hundreds of individuals—or even more—can come together.
Food
She likes insects, including beetles, insect larvae, and snails, but also varies her diet with different fruits, seeds, and berries.