# What Do Magpies Eat?

> What magpies eat: Omnivore (insects, scraps, fruit, eggs), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Farmland, woodland edges, parks, suburbs.

- **Species:** Magpie (*Pica pica*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Omnivore (insects, scraps, fruit, eggs)
- **Habitat:** Farmland, woodland edges, parks, suburbs
- **Lifespan:** About 5 years (up to 21)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/magpie/what-do-magpie-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/magpie/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The magpie (Pica pica) is a bold, black-and-white member of the crow family found across farmland, woodland edges, parks, and suburbs. Around 45 cm long with a 52–60 cm wingspan and a long iridescent tail, it is one of the most intelligent of all birds. Magpies are opportunistic omnivores that typically live about five years, though some reach 21.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Intelligence and self-awareness

Magpies are among the cleverest birds in the world, with a large brain relative to body size. In a famous experiment, magpies became one of the very few non-mammal species to pass the mirror self-recognition test, appearing to understand that the reflection was themselves. They solve problems, plan ahead, and remember complex social relationships within their flocks. Such cognitive skill puts them alongside their crow-family relatives as feathered problem-solvers.

## Help protect the Magpie

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/magpie/what-do-magpie-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.