A very cooperative Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)

Head Shot:  Black-billed Magpie

Anyone who regularly photographs birds -- or tries to -- will tell you that it is not an easy thing to do well.  It is difficult because birds tend to move about a lot.  They may land briefly, but as often as not they fly away before you can set up the shot.  And when they do perch somewhere for awhile, it is often at a distance greater than the photographer would like.

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!