[Leica] IMG: Yellow-billed Magpie

[Gene Duprey]

Really nice.


On Mon, Nov 13, 2017 at 9:18 AM, Jim Nichols <jhnichols at lighttube.net>
wrote:

> Very nice!  That dead branch makes a great prop.
>
> Jim Nichols
> Tullahoma, TN USA
>
>
> On 11/13/2017 7:48 AM, Doug Herr wrote:
>
>> The Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nutalli) is a large member of the crow
>> family that is endemic to California.  Other magpies are found elsewhere
>> and the very similar Black-billed Magpie is widespread in North America...
>> I'll bet you can deduce what the primary difference between these two
>> species is.  The Yellow-billed Magpie prefers the open oak woodlands in
>> sheltered valleys of California's Central Valley and adjacent foothills but
>> can also be found on lawns and in parks in the Central Valley's cities and
>> towns.
>>
>> This species is particularly susceptible to the West Nile virus and a
>> 2005 outbreak of this disease reduced the Yellow-billed Magpie population
>> by 50%.  For a number of years following the outbreak there were no magpies
>> near my home but in the last few years the populations appear to have
>> recovered; my theory which I must emphasize has not been tested is that
>> among the birds present in 2005 there were varying degrees of resistance to
>> the virus and the more resistant individuals survived and re-populated the
>> Central Valley.  Yellow-billed Magpies are again regular visitors to my
>> yard.
>>
>> For many years I've wanted to showcase the iridescence of its tail and
>> wing feathers.  What do you think?
>>
>> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/pica/ybmagp05.html
>>
>> Doug Herr
>> Birdman of Sacramento
>> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
>> http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com
>>
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>>
>
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