Black-rumped Magpie
Pica bottanensis
- Family
- Crows, Jays, and Magpies (Corvidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The black-rumped magpie (Pica bottanensis) is a species of magpie native to west-central China and Bhutan, and possibly also irregularly in Sikkim in India, and in eastern Nepal. It is similar to other magpies in the genus Pica, with pied plumage with bluish-green iridescent wings and tail, but differs from the other species in the genus except for Asir magpie in having no white on the rump. It was described as a species in 1840, but had long been treated as a subspecies of Eurasian magpie, before being restored to species rank in 2018. In breeding behaviour it is largely similar to other Pica magpies, laying a single brood from April to June.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Eastern Himalayas to southeastern Tibet and western China (Qinghai and Xinjiang).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Black-rumped magpie
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
