Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) is in the Crows, Jays, and Magpies family (Corvidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 25,470 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Black-billed Magpie: observations by month (U.S.)
About Black-billed Magpie
The black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia), also known as the American magpie, is a bird in the crow family that inhabits the western half of North America, from Colorado, to southern coastal Alaska to northern California, northern Nevada, northern Arizona, northern New Mexico, central Kansas, and Nebraska. It is black and white, with black areas on the wings and tail showing iridescent hints of blue or blue-green. It is one of only four North American songbirds whose...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Black-billed Magpie by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 10,237 | June | Mar–Jan |
| Utah | 3,049 | April | Mar–Nov |
| Alaska | 2,410 | July | May–Sep |
| Montana | 1,777 | June | May–Oct |
| Wyoming | 1,731 | June | May–Oct |
| Idaho | 1,496 | May | Apr–Mar |
| Oregon | 1,034 | May | Mar–Dec |
| Washington | 1,015 | May | Jan–Nov |
| California | 786 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Nevada | 610 | May | Feb–Dec |
| South Dakota | 448 | June | May–Oct |
| New Mexico | 438 | June | Mar–Dec |
| Minnesota | 194 | February | Dec–Feb |
| North Dakota | 133 | June | May–Aug |
| Nebraska | 63 | October | Sep–Mar |
| Kansas | 17 | May | Apr–May |
| Arizona | 9 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 6 | May | May–May |
| Wisconsin | 6 | September | Aug–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
California Scrub-Jay
Steller's Jay
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Canada Jay
Fish Crow
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black-billed Magpie?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from March to January.
Where is Black-billed Magpie most often seen?
The most observations come from Colorado, Utah, Alaska.