Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) |
Head Shot: Black-billed Magpie |
I photographed this Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) in a parking lot at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. As we unloaded some gear from the car, this individual flew down to the pavement from a nearby tree and landed right next to us. It seemed unafraid of people, and my hunch is that this bird had a history of being fed by tourists.
I wouldn't go so far as to say the bird was "tame" but it certainly was an unusually cooperative model. This afforded me a nice opportunity to get some great close-up photos of the Magpie, including the one below, in which you can actually see my reflection in the bird's eye!