Magpies’ flying school

Magpies are our local birds, from early January through December, they keep us company, survive a tough winter and are part and parcel of our daily lives. In the late spring, they have their offspring, and in June these little ones must fly out of the nest, like it or not. 

The following short video attempts to show how hard it is to let go and glide on brand new wings. While it takes about 18 months for a US air force pilot to earn their wings before ever flying a fighter, it takes about 6 months, minimum, to learn to fly and fight the fighter the pilot is assigned. 

Young magpies in my backyard don’t have this luxury and their trainers are neither as dedicated nor patient as our military pilots. First, a certain amount of patience is required as no birds can fly as thy hatch. They don’t have feathers. It takes about 2–3 weeks in the nest, after hatching, for magpies to develop the feathers needed for flight. 

Then, they attempt to leave the nest (generally a less than controlled fall to the ground) and spend 3–6 days there (below or near the nest where I shot that video) still being fed by the adults, while they further develop the muscles and skills for their first real flights. Like all young birds, magpies learn to fly through trial and error. 

They'll make short, clumsy flights at first, gradually increasing their distance and control with practice. As their skills improve, fledglings become more adventurous, venturing further from the nest on their own, to explore and find food. Parents may continue to provide guidance and support during this process. That’s why we see young magpies seemingly unable to fly, stuck on the ground. 

Yet, if they appear healthy and their parents are nearby, it's usually best to leave them alone. The parents will guide them back to safety or the fledglings will eventually find their way back to the nest or a safe perch. Very soon, they’ll fly like seasoned pilots!