Albino magpies make themselves at home; Ornithologist calls Edmonton "capital of the world" for these ghost birds

Leucistic Magpie found on bike path south of 111Ave and east of 119St [photo]

Marty Klinkenberg, Edmonton Journal:

In a city where magpies are afforded the affection of a tax collector, Jocelyn Hudon stands out.
A bird of a different feather, the curator of ornithology at the Royal Alberta Museum finds them more fetching than infuriating, and has invested a good number of years in their study. Canada's lone expert in bird pigmentation, Hudon is happy to report that Edmonton is the world's capital of "ghost," or imperfect albino magpies, and several weeks ago moved on to the next phase of his research by banding the first one.
Naturally, the magpie bit him. "It got me on the finger," Hudon says. "It had a honk of a bill."                   Rather than a striking combination of white and black, a small population of magpies that are nearly all white or as grey as a pigeon has evolved. A few have been observed in Calgary, Red Deer and High Level, but they seem most fond of Edmonton, hanging around the grounds of the legislature, the University of Alberta, Mill Woods, and a Canadian Tire store on the city's west side...Continue reading...

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MAGPIE FACTS TO SQUAWK ABOUT:
- They are found mostly in Western Canada, and are rarely observed east of Manitoba. They are widespread in southern and central Alberta and are expanding their range north.
- They are scavengers and eat just about anything, including insects, and raid unprotected pet food bowls. They steal eggs from other birds’ nests, but it is a very small part of their diet.
- They build massive nests in trees in pairs, with two entrances in each nest.

- They have an elongated tail, half the size of their body, and are one of the few birds with a sense of smell.
- They store their food in a hiding place created by hammering at the ground with their beaks. They actually create a series of holes but hide their cache in a particular spot; the others are decoys to fool other magpies.
- One of the few animals that are able to recognize themselves in a mirror, they also seem to remember people who have previously annoyed them. They have been known to attack researchers returning to do a second nest study while ignoring other people in the same area.
- A group of magpies is known by a number of names, including a charm, a gulp, a tiding and a tittering. It is also known as a murder, which seems most appropriate.

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