A new Albertan asked about magpies and people have a LOT to say about them
A person that just moved to Calgary and spotted an unfamiliar bird has sparked a conversation among Albertans about magpies.
Whether you (or your cat) enjoys seeing them fly around or they wake you up chirping super early in the morning, people had some takes on the black-billed magpie that calls much of Alberta home.
“New to Calgary. What’s the name of this bird?” wrote the Reddit user.
“This is a gorgeous bird and I’m curious to know what’s the name to learn more about it,” they added.
New to Calgary. What’s the name of this bird?
by u/Illustrious-Ad-1625 in Calgary
The post sparked more than 100 comments from people giving their two cents about the bird, some fond of them, others not so much.
“Good old magpies. They are smart AF. Don’t start beef with them because they can describe human faces and tell all their buddies about you,” wrote one user.
Another agreed, saying, “Looking for this comment. Politely greet them and move on with your day. If you piss one off, feed them nuts and you should be forgiven.”
“Controversial opinion, but magpies are great. They’re smart birds, closely related to crows. Some people hate them, but magpies keep pigeons away from my house and that’s fine by me,” added another.
Among the other comments in the thread include referring to the animal as “the assholes of the bird world,” “terrible birds,” “the best birds we have,” “extremely intelligent,” and “bullies.” One user added that they “undoubtedly have fun when they try to bully my cats on the deck.”
According to the Government of Alberta, magpies will “eat anything” and can damage landscaping in your backyard, harass pets, and as protective parents, magpies may dive-bomb intruders they fear are approaching too close to their nests.
Follow Channels and Categories