We have had a new kid on the block in Smithy Brook of late a lonely, sorrowful one at that. We appear to have become refuge to a lonely, bedraggled looking young magpie who looks every inch the ‘one for sorrow’ as the popular rhyme suggests. If it could speak no doubt it would have a tale of woe to tell about what brought it to this, let us hope temporary, solo existence.
There are few birds that stand out in natures rich and varied tapestry more than the Magpie. Its iconic two toned black with white plumage with that distinctive blue green gloss never fails to catch the eye. Not many other birds stand out in this way and few have such villainous reputations. They were originally called just Pie which stems from the black and white ‘pied’ appearance and Mag was added to this as it means ‘chaterer’ and that is what they do best.
I personally cannot see a magpie without saluting it, though not usually superstitious, I feel compelled to perform this ritual and have been known to carry out my observance of this act disguised as an eye rub or a hair adjustment, if in a public, to avoid what would be a ridiculous sounding explanation or guilty confession or two. As a child of the seventies the television programme ‘Magpie’ with its catchy theme tune was one of my favourites as it always seemed to be a more hip version of Blue Peter and anything to be that little bit cooler at that age rocked. It certainly put the rhyme on the tip of everyone’s tongues and probably was the cause of my secret saluting. It seems that different areas have their own customs but generally one magpie seen on it’s own is not good. Magpies have the same mate for life so to see one alone could mean it has lost it’s mate, hence the sorrow. There are a variety of ways to counteract the impending doom, some even more bizarre than mine and it is nice to hear that it is not just me. Apparently, some say ‘Good morning Mr Magpie how is your lady wife today?’ or ’Good morning general’ or ‘Hello Jack how’s your brother’. Some people choose to doff their hat or blink rapidly to make it look like they have seen two magpies. Or get this one, some folk spit three times over their shoulder and flap their arms like they are flying, which I have to say would take some very creative disguising and makes my saluting look positively sane!
Known as symbols of bad luck, blamed for the demise of songbirds and labelled as thieves, just what have ‘Magpiekind’ done to earn their dishonourable reputation? In medieval times corvids would scavenge by battlegrounds, field hospitals and gallows in search of carrion and I guess when your favourite snack is rotting flesh you are going to get bad press. Road kill today keeps them pretty well fed and yes they do eat eggs and chicks of smaller birds which annoys some bird lovers and gamekeepers I guess but isn’t that just part of the big chain. Their alleged tendency to get their beaks on shiny items earns them the title of thief and the term to ‘magpie’ something is often used when referring to stealing ideas but what happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Our ancestors lack of proper understanding of the mysteries of life probably led to the supernatural links to magpies as a way of explaining difficult subjects such as death. The Victorians were so fearful of them that they were hunted to near extinction but I am happy to report that today they are growing in number. Before the spread of Christianity magpies were associated with good fortune and the wearing of a magpie feather was a sign of fearlessness. It was said that magpies were the only ones not to enter Noah’s ark but instead they chose to remain outside chattering as if swearing at the rain. It was also said that the magpie did not mourn the death of Jesus on the cross.
There are twenty different species worldwide with crows, ravens and jackdaws as their relations, internationally everyone seems to have an accusation to hurl or an opinion to form about these distinguishable members of the Corvidae family. Magpies are known as harbingers of ill fortune globally, with the exception of China who believe they are associated with happiness and that your sorrow would come only if you happened to kill one and the French they honour the magpie by tying bundles of shrubs such as laurel high up in the trees to say thank you as they believe the magpies chattering warned when wolves were present in days gone by. Yorkshire folk associated the magpie with witchcraft and would cross themselves if they saw a solitary bird. In Somerset it was believed that if you carried an onion it would protect you from the bad luck and the fishermen of Devon knew their nets would be empty if they saw a magpie before a fishing trip.
The Romans thought magpies to have intelligence, with their brain to body mass equal to that of apes, they can play games, work in teams and mimic humans and thought they were well deserving of respect. Scientists have researched whether or not there is any truth in magpies stealing shiny trinkets and hording them in their nests but this proved inconclusive which I thought to be sad I have always liked the thought of them helping themselves to a bit of what they fancy but who knows if they are that clever maybe they hide their loot elsewhere! They are also able to recognise themselves in a mirror, I just love the thought of that. A group of magpies or a parliament are thought to mourn the death of one of their number by performing a noisy chattering ritual and if that isn’t a reason to salute them I don’t know what is.
As I write, Billy, as I call him is still looking sorry for himself as he ‘kangaroo hops’ around as only magpies can. I really hope he finds a mate and not just so I can stop saluting every five minutes. I might take him a mirror out there so he can take a good look at himself, preen himself up, practise his best ‘chatering’ up lines and impress the lady magpies….two for joy and all that!!
