Magpie photographed at Fauxquets Valley [FAU] on 21/5/2017 Photo: © Wayne Turner (visit site)

Magpies are widespread across the entire Western Palearctic from 15-70 degrees north. It is a common resident in the Bailiwick.

Very little historical information is available. Smith reports them as 'tolerably common' on Guernsey and as occurring on Sark but not Alderney. Dobson saw Magpies in Guernsey during his visits but thought they were less common than in Jersey. The lack of Magpies on Alderney was put down to the lack of trees, although there is a report of an influx in the winter of 1870 when the birds were so common the locals caught them as pets! Condor (1979) records Magpies as vagrants and lists 4 records.

The Magpie is now a common resident in all the islands, except Alderney where it is still a vagrant. Birds are seen in most habitats although they seem most abundant in agricultural areas and along the south coast cliffs. There is strong local feeling against this species and, since 1969 people have remarked that this species has increased. In some parts of the island it is widely trapped using Larsen-type trapping techniques.