Wildlifeof Nepal
Common Green Magpie
Crows, Drongos, Orioles & Shrikes
Photo: Dinesh Valke · CC BY-SA 2.0
Cissa chinensis
Basic stats
Diet
A high share of animal prey: invertebrates, small reptiles, mammals, young birds and eggs
Habitat
Evergreen forest including bamboo forest, clearings and scrub; nest in trees, large shrubs and vine tangles
Clutch size
Usually 4–6 eggs
The common green magpie is a crow-family bird roughly the size of the Eurasian jay or slightly smaller. In the wild it is a bright, lush green, lighter below, which often fades to turquoise in captivity or on a poor diet because the pigment is carotenoid-based. A thick black stripe runs from the bill through the eyes to the nape, the wings are reddish-maroon, and the eye rims, bill and legs are red (Wikipedia, general species account).
It seeks food both on the ground and in the canopy, taking a very high percentage of animal prey. Usually four to six eggs are laid, in a nest built in trees, large shrubs or tangles of climbing vines (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Common Green Magpie eat?
- A high share of animal prey: invertebrates, small reptiles, mammals, young birds and eggs
- What habitat does the Common Green Magpie live in?
- Evergreen forest including bamboo forest, clearings and scrub; nest in trees, large shrubs and vine tangles
- How many eggs does the Common Green Magpie lay?
- Usually 4–6 eggs