Black-billed Magpies in Colorado
When magpies are present in Colorado, when they nest, which native Colorado plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–7b yard.
- Status in Colorado
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–7b
When to expect magpies in Colorado
Black-billed Magpies live in Colorado all year. Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward carrion and seeds.
Semi-arid high plains in the east and the Rocky Mountains through the center, with most backyards between 5,000 and 7,000 ft.
Nesting in Colorado
Across Colorado, magpies typically nest from April–June. Nest site: huge domed stick nest in trees or shrubs. Females lay 5–8 eggs, incubate for 16–21 days, and young leave the nest after 25–29 days.
Warm, dry days and cool nights; afternoon storms are common in July and August.
- Black-billed Magpies don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Colorado plants that attract magpies
Of the regional native plants we track for Colorado, these 8 provide food or cover magpies use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Feeding magpies through the Colorado year
Magpies are intelligent and wary; they visit platform feeders near open country and pastures.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Cracked corn.
- In Colorado's winter: Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly.
Frequently asked
Are magpies in Colorado year-round?
Yes. Black-billed Magpies are year-round residents in Colorado.
When do magpies nest in Colorado?
Nesting in Colorado typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 16–21 days.
What native plants attract magpies in Colorado?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine are native plants in Colorado that provide food or cover for magpies.
Black-billed Magpies in other regions
Other backyard birds in Colorado
Sources
- Black-billed Magpie — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-billed Magpie life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-billed Magpie — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Colorado
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.