Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCorvidae (Còrvids)
- GenusPica (True Magpies)
- SpeciesPica hudsonia (Black-billed Magpie)
The black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia), also known as the American magpie, is a bird in the corvid family found in the western half of North America. It is black and white, with the wings and tail showing black areas and iridescent hints of blue and blue-green. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of Pica pica (Eurasian magpie), but was separated as a species in its own in 2000 based on genetic studies. This species prefers generally open habitats with clumps of trees, but can also commonly be found in farmlands and suburban areas. Historically associated with bison herds, it now lands on the backs of cattle to glean ticks and insects from them. Black-billed magpies commonly follow large predators, such as wolves, to scavenge from their kills. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-billed Magpie sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 85 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Kenai Fjords National Park
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Gray Jay
Perisoreus canadensis
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Orange-crowned Warbler
Leiothlypis celata
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Wilson's Warbler
Cardellina pusilla
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Varied Thrush
Ixoreus naevius
Yellow Warbler
Setophaga petechia
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Badlands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Kluane National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 11 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 13 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Wood Buffalo National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 15 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 17 | Voyageurs National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 20 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-billed Magpie in Kenai Fjords National Park?
About 12% of wildlife watchers report a Black-billed Magpie sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 85 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-billed Magpie in Kenai Fjords National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Black-billed Magpie in Kenai Fjords National Park in our monthly data.