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Pics of Red breasted Magpie taken this morning

Lesley Hopkinson
13/09/2019 14:16

  • 13/09/2019 15:39

    Hi Lesley,   it's a difficult one to answer as at first I thought either the magpie had been bathing in something like an ochre dyke (especially if you live near Sheffield ! ) or it had been injured and it was blood that had spread on the plumage as I've seen some vicious attacks amongst magpies,   however I believe there is an abnormality in birds called  erythrism  which can show up as red/pinkish although this is very rare.   It has been seen in magpies before.     So, to be honest, I can't give a categorical answer but  hopefully somebody more knowledgeable on this forum can give their opinions.    My guess would be Erythrism. 

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    Regards, Hazel 

  • 13/09/2019 19:04
    Thank you, we don’t live near any dye works .... we are in Great Budworth, Cheshire, a village full of jackdaws in the main - not that many magpies. My only concern is that this one might be subject to attack as it looks so different - although we haven’t any evidence of this so far ...
  • 13/09/2019 20:05
    Hi Lesley, I know Great Budworth well and also live in Cheshire. A lot of nice areas to see birds around there including Marbury Country Park/Northwich woods. Hope you see the magpie again and can take a closer look; if it turns out it isn't injured and may have a plumage variation like erythrism it may be worth following Alan's link on your other post and reporting it to the British Trust for Ornithology. .

    _____________________________________

    Regards, Hazel 

  • 06/10/2019 23:54
    I saw what appeared to be a bright red-breasted magpie as such on the side of the M2 just outside Belfast this afternoon. Just a glimpse as passing quickly, I had reasoned it must have been injured/soaked in blood, but that’s not how it looked to me.