Black-billed Magpie in August
Where magpies are in August, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
August in the Black-billed Magpie's year
August feels like summer but the year has turned. Southbound migration is quietly underway, many adults are molting into fresh plumage, and family groups are breaking up. Late nesters are still feeding young in the North while southern birds are already drifting toward wintering grounds.
For the Black-billed Magpie specifically, August is a summer month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 19 states and provinces where magpies occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where magpies are in August
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In August, magpies are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in August
Magpies are not nesting in August. The season runs April–June at mid-latitudes.
Outside the nesting season, magpies put their energy into feeding and flocking rather than territory and young — which is exactly what makes them easier to watch and attract this month.
What to feed in August
- Grasshoppers, beetles and ticks
Magpies are intelligent and wary; they visit platform feeders near open country and pastures.
Molting birds look scruffy and often skulk — don't be surprised if familiar visitors briefly vanish. Keep water fresh in the heat.
Full Black-billed Magpie diet guide → · Best feeder for magpies →
Watching magpies this month
Magpies are settled and predictable in August, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region magpies are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Black-billed Magpie month by month
Black-billed Magpie by state
Frequently asked
Where are magpies in August?
In August, magpies are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do magpies nest in August?
No — magpies typically nest April through June at mid-latitudes.
What do magpies eat in August?
Grasshoppers, beetles and ticks.
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
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.