Asir magpie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Asir magpie |
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| Conservation status | |
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Pica
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| Species: |
asirensis
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The Asir magpie (Pica asirensis), also called the Arabian magpie, is a very rare bird. It is a type of magpie found only in Saudi Arabia. You can only find it in the high mountains of the country's southwest, in the Asir Region.
This magpie lives in African juniper forests, especially in green valleys. Some experts used to think it was a type of Eurasian magpie. Sadly, its home forests are shrinking and not growing back. New buildings for tourists and changes in the weather are also big problems. Only about 270 Asir magpies are left in the wild, and their numbers are still going down.
Scientists studied the Asir magpie's DNA in 2018. They found it is closely related to the black-rumped magpie. That bird lives far away on the Tibetan Plateau.
Contents
What Does the Asir Magpie Look Like?
The Asir magpie is a medium-sized bird. It is about 45 to 60 centimeters (18 to 24 inches) long. It weighs around 240 grams (8.5 ounces).
Its head, neck, back, and front chest are all black. Its shoulders and belly are a creamy white color. The tail is black with a shiny bronze-green look. The Asir magpie has a longer beak and darker feathers than the Eurasian magpie. Its eyes are also darker. It makes special loud, harsh calls. Male and female Asir magpies look very similar. Young birds are a bit duller in color than adults.
How Do Asir Magpies Behave?
During the time they raise their young, Asir magpies often form pairs. They live in small groups, usually with about 8 birds. For their daily activities, they travel in smaller groups of 3 to 5 birds.
To stay safe from predators like hawks and owls, they build their nests in thick forests. They choose valleys with lots of plants. Asir magpies prefer to walk and hop sideways instead of flying. They have short wings and fly with quick wing beats. They rarely glide through the air.
Where Do Asir Magpies Live?
The Asir magpie mostly lives high up in the mountains. They are found above 2,150 meters (7,050 feet). They like thick, shady juniper forests or mixed forests. They usually live on slopes that face south. They avoid very steep slopes or places close to people. Sometimes, you might see them looking for food near roads. They can also live at lower heights, around 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) or more.
What Do Asir Magpies Eat?
The Asir magpie eats many different things. Its diet changes with the seasons and where it lives. In the summer, it mainly eats animals. This includes insects, lizards, and frogs. During the rest of the year, it eats mostly seeds and plants.
The Asir magpie is not picky about its food. It eats whatever is easy to find and plentiful. It is even known to steal and eat the eggs of other birds. Because of this, some people call them "nest predators."
Why Are Asir Magpies Endangered?
The Asir magpie is a highly endangered species. There are only about 270 of these birds left. The area where they live has shrunk a lot. When George Latimer Bates first wrote about them in 1936, they lived in a much larger area. That area stretched for about 400 kilometers (250 miles).
Today, most Asir magpies live in small areas. These are mostly in juniper and acacia forests. These areas are mainly between An-Namas and Billasmar, a strip of highlands about 37 kilometers (23 miles) long.
New buildings for tourists and cities growing bigger are breaking up their habitat. This makes it hard for different groups of magpies to mix. This can lead to problems with their genetics. Also, Asir magpies sometimes eat human food waste. This can cause them to become unhealthy and may even lead to their extinction.
See also
- Asir Mountains, Sarat range
