I’m always amazed about how birds like certain environments. It seems like this super dead tree wouldn’t be where I would pick to hang out but this bird seemed to love it! Looks like you would poke an eye out! 🙂
Have you seen birds in weird locations?
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Twould say they would get a great birds eye view of its surround.
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Ha ha
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Not sure what this one is, but I’ve learned that Loggerhead Shrikes actually hang out in such trees, and pierce their prey onto the thorns, to save for eating later!
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That’s crazy! I’ve never heard of them doing that.
This is a Black-billed Magpie, so I’m not sure if they do the same thing our not. I kinda hope so because that’s pretty awesome and also terrifying.
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Looked up the eating habits of this magpie. It feeds on the ground. Even caches its food in holes they dig.
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That’s really cool, I didn’t know that. Thanks for the info!
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Nice photograph. My neighbor had a dead tree for about 9 months. During that time it attracted more birds than any other of the nearby alive trees. Must be the clear “birds eye” view they get with no leaves. Thanks for sharing.
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It’s funny how the ugliest tree in the yard is the one that the birds like best!
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Cool magpie. Do you have them in San Diego? We don’t have them in El Paso but they are plentiful in Santa Fe.
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We have Yellow-billed Magpies in San Diego, which looks almost identical to this one except the bill. They aren’t really common but I’ve seen them in the Elfin Forest area.
I don’t remember ever seeing magpies in Texas when I was there either. I do remember seeing them in Arkansas and maybe Oklahoma though… so they are somewhat “nearby.”
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thanks for the info. My feeling is they may be more of a forested mountain bird, and while we have mountains in El Paso, there isn’t a forest!
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