MAGPIES
Thomas C. Hall
Wildlife Biologist
USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services
7104 Bellrose Aveneu, NE
Olympia, WA 98502
For additional information click Magpies
Fig. 1. North American magpies; (a)Black-billed magpie Pica pica; (b) Yellow-billed magpie, P.nuttalli
Damage Prevention and Control Methods
Exclusion
Keep young poultry, poultry nests,
and vulnerable livestock in covered
fenced pens.
Netting can be used to protect small
areas and valuable crops.
Habitat Modification
Remove nests of offending magpies
that are raiding poultry farms.
Remove low brush and roost trees in
areas where damage is excessive.
Frightening
A frightening program using
pyrotechnics, scarecrows, and
propane cannons in conjunction
with human presence is effective for
magpies in most damage situations,
especially for roosts and crops.
Repellents
None are registered
Toxicants
None are registered.
Trapping
Modified Australian crow and
circular-funnel traps can be used to
help protect heavily damaged crops
from a large local population.
Proper care of traps and decoy
birds is necessary.
Use No. 0 and 1 padded-jaw pole traps
to take a few offending individuals.
Check local, state, and federal laws
before trapping.
Shooting
Shooting magpies can eliminate
damage from a few offending birds
and will increase the effectiveness of
a frightening program. Shotguns are
recommended for most shooting.
Editors
Scott E. Hygnstrom;
Robert M. Timm;
Gary E. Larson
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WILDLIFE DAMAGE — 1994
Cooperative Extension Division Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska -Lincoln
United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Damage Control
Great Plains Agricultural Council Wildlife Committee