Oriental magpies, a symbol of good fortune in China, are very common in the country. The bird has a black and white coat with a tail half its body length and shiny turquoise feathers on its wings and tail.

The number of oriental magpies is associated with the number of trees, especially walnut trees and poplars. Having benefited from urban greening projects, oriental magpies are increasing faster in urban rather than rural settings.

The birds have the behavioral flexibility to succeed in urban environments. Cities are warmer than the surrounding countryside, and urban-adapted magpies build nests and lay eggs earlier in the year than rural counterparts. Because it is popular in the country, the bird forages in the presence of humans, and supplements their diet with food from garbage cans in addition to insects and rodents.

Nest height brings the birds a sense of security. In cities, oriental magpies also build nests on chimneys, street lamps, or wire towers. 

Its nest is divided into inner and outer layers: the outer layer is composed of a large number of branches, wires, ropes, etc., and the entrance is a hole on the side; the inner layer is woven from soft grass, moss, etc., and is where the chicks live. Because the nest structure is complex, it takes them about 40 days to construct such an elaborate domed nest.

Urban areas attract birds when cities can provide a predictable source of food, relatively stable weather conditions and reduced potential nest predator density.

About 'City of Wild'

Nature does not only exist in faraway mountains and oceans, but also in urban cities and our daily life. In the new series City of Wild, CGTN not only unfolds a world of wildlife you've never noticed, but also shares a concept of this year's CBD COP 15 theme: "Ecological Civilization – Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth."

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(Cover image via VCG)

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