Today we'd like to discuss a term that describes two related species or populations that exist in the same area: sympatry. Sympatry can refer to almost any kind of species or populations, but for this discussion we will focus on examples that include birds.
Species that are sympatric live in the same habitat, encounter each other frequently, and may share breeding or feeding locations. Interbreeding between species may occur.
Three species of flamingo in South America are sympatric. The Andean Flamingo, Chilean Flamingo, and James's Flamingo can all be found across a similar range and are known to share nesting sites.
Sympatric species do not necessarily share resources in this mutually beneficial way. The Great Spotted Cuckoo and its parasitic host species the Eurasian Magie are also considered to be sympatric. Cuckoos are brood parasites to their neighbors the magpies.
Sympatry is one of four terms used to describe how species (or populations) relate to each other. Species that exist in adjacent locations are parapatric. Species that are separated can be either peripatric or allopatric.
Today’s new Birdorable is a species of corvid (the family of birds that includes crows, jays, and ravens) found in parts of Asia. The Red-billed Blue-Magpie is a stunner!
Red-billed Blue-Magpies have extraordinarily long tails – among the longest of any corvid species. In addition to their long tails, they can be recognized by their sharp dark blue, black, and white plumage, and by their bright red-orange bills.
They are fairly gregarious, often found in small feeding flocks of 6-8 individuals.
Red-billed Blue Magpie in Timlipani, Uttarakhand, India by soumyajit nandy (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Tomorrow we’ll add a species of swallow found in open habitat in South America. This cutie is named after the color of its rump! Can you guess the species from this cheeky clue?
Today, March 14, is traditionally celebrated as Pi Day -- because when the date is written 3/14, it represents the first three significant numbers of Pi. Pie day may be celebrated by eating pie, but since we like birds, today seems like a good day to celebrate the family of birds that has pie right in the name: Magpies!
There are three groups of true magpies. The four species of magpie in the genus Pica are the Holarctic, or black-and-white, magpies. The nine species of Oriental magpie are generally blue-green and are in the Urocissa genus and the Cissa genus. The azure-winged magpie belongs in the genus Cyanopica. Here are some fun facts about this group of intelligent and curious birds.
Magpies belong to the Corvid family, which makes them closely related to birds like jays, crows, and ravens.
There are several collective nouns used to describe a group of magpies, including "a gulp of magpies" and "a mischief of magpies."
Magpies aren't the only birds with "pie" in their name. Another group in the Corvid family is the treepies. One bird in this group has a confusing name: the Black Magpie of Asia.
Another bird with a confusing name is the Australian Magpie. This species isn't a magpie at all! Although its black-and-white plumage is very magpie-like, this species belongs in a different genus and is closely related to the Butcherbirds of Australasia.
A recent taxonomical split may have added a new species of magpie to the list. The Azure-winged Magpie has an usual fragmented range with part of the population in southwestern Europe and part over in eastern Asia. Some ornithologists consider the two populations to be separate species, naming the European bird the Iberian Magpie.
The Javan Green Magpie is the most endangered species of magpie. Endemic to Indonesia, it is considered to be Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Other endemic species of magpie include the Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, found only in Sri Lanka, and the Yellow-billed Magpie, found only in the U.S. state of California.
This Saturday, March 14th, is Pi Day! This year Pi Day has an extra significance on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 a.m. and p.m., with the date and time representing the first 10 digits of the digit π. This only happens every one hundred years, so celebrate this very special Pi Day in style with this cute coloring page from Birdorable. A Black-billed Magpie (or Eurasian Magpie, it's your pick) is sitting on a large π symbol. It's your job to color the bird and Pi however you like, but if you want some hints you can have a look at the profile pages for each bird. If you can't get enough you can find dozens of other Birdorable coloring and activity pages in our Downloads section. Have fun and enjoy 3/14/15!
We're adding a new bird each day until we reach our 500th Birdorable species! Today's Bonanza bird is the Australian Magpie.
Australian Magpies are not closely related to the magpies found in Europe or the Americas. When European naturalists came to settle in Australia, they noted the plumage of the new Australian species was similar to the Eurasian Magpie. They named the bird after their old familiar. Did you know that the American Robin was named in the same fashion? It is not related to the European Robin, but both species share a brownish plumage with a rich reddish-orange breast.
Australian Magpie by Lip Kee (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Australian Magpies are conspicuous and common within their range. They are omnivorous and are well-adapted to a variety of habitat types. They enjoy popularity in Australia and are the mascot for several sports teams as well as the official emblem of the Government of South Australia. Although they are popular, during breeding season they can be a menace as they fiercely protect their nest site. They may swoop down on anyone they perceive as a threat to their territory. August to October is the peak season for magpie attacks, and both pedestrians and cyclists are deemed fair game.
Tomorrow's new species is a North American songbird with a buzzy song and blue wings.
Today, March 14th, is Pi Day, the day that mathematicians celebrate the number that is approximately 3.14159. Send your friends our funny Birdorable Mag PI with this comment graphic, Facebook Gift or eCard.
