Black-billed Magpies in Kansas

Black-billed Magpies live in Kansas all year — western Kansas. Cold, dry winters with strong wind; windbreaks and evergreens are prime roost cover. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward carrion and seeds.

Continental — humid tallgrass Flint Hills in the east to semi-arid shortgrass prairie in the west.

Across Kansas, 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.

Hot summers above 95°F; western Kansas is dry, so water draws birds from far away.

• Black-billed Magpies don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Of the regional native plants we track for Kansas, these 8 provide food or cover magpies use:

Magpies are intelligent and wary; they visit platform feeders near open country and pastures.

• Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Cracked corn.
• In Kansas's winter: Cold, dry winters with strong wind; windbreaks and evergreens are prime roost cover.

Full diet breakdown for magpies · Best feeder for magpies