Black-billed Magpies in Yukon
When magpies are present in Yukon, when they nest, which native Yukon plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1b yard.
- Status in Yukon
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canada 0a–1b
When to expect magpies in Yukon
Black-billed Magpies live in Yukon all year. Long, dark winters well below −20°F. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward carrion and seeds.
Subarctic continental with mountains, boreal forest and Arctic tundra in the north.
Nesting in Yukon
Across Yukon, magpies typically nest from May–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.
Short summers with nearly 24-hour daylight.
- Black-billed Magpies don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, chokecherry, white spruce for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Yukon plants that attract magpies
Of the regional native plants we track for Yukon, these 7 provide food or cover magpies use:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.
Tall magenta spikes are a key northern hummingbird flower.
Feeding magpies through the Yukon year
Magpies are intelligent and wary; they visit platform feeders near open country and pastures.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Cracked corn.
- In Yukon's winter: Long, dark winters well below −20°F.
Frequently asked
Are magpies in Yukon year-round?
Yes. Black-billed Magpies are year-round residents in Yukon.
When do magpies nest in Yukon?
Nesting in Yukon typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 16–21 days.
What native plants attract magpies in Yukon?
Paper birch, Chokecherry, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch, Fireweed are native plants in Yukon that provide food or cover for magpies.
Black-billed Magpies in other regions
Other backyard birds in Yukon
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 — Yukon
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- 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.