magpies

[coyoteman]

Magpies have driven all of the other birds from my backyard ,they have taken over.Now what,This in The NE .trapping would be easy but the neigbours well its not an option---guess i got to live with it.But maybe someone knows something i dont.

[wolf308]

That's in the NE ??? Assuming a city ? No 12 gauge allowed ?

Ya. Think there's traps for them, worried about your neighbours seeing though ?

Get a cat 🐱......

Are we allowed to poison them ? Are they a pest / certain classification ? Prolly not I'd guess.

Play the whole sniper in the window cliche with a black hat backwards - with a pellet gun .... as long as safe to do so of course

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by coyoteman

This in The NE .trapping would be easy but the neigbours well its not an option-

Explain why?

[Fish along]

I have magpies come around all the time here,don't seem to bother the others much,I put sun flower seeds out for smaller birds ,the bigger birds can't get into the feeders only small ones like chickadees, though I put out feed for larger birds like Blue Jays that can be taken by all including Magpies,but they are unable to get food from the other feeders.

[dodger]

I use an air soft gun to just give them a good sting and they move on.

Dodger.

[colroggal]

Originally Posted by dodger

I use an air soft gun to just give them a good sting and they move on.

Dodger.

Good idea

[The Cook]

Sniper out the window with a pellet gun (safely of course).

[parfleche]

Anything resembling a firearm is likely looking for trouble.Bad advice . check with F&W and bylaw.

[Justfishin73]

I use this from my boy's armory

https://www.hasbro.com/en-us/product...9328C984FB8---

auto fire on about 120 ft per second keeps them away nicely

damn blue jays are worse, those loud SOBs

[cranky]

Small size slingshot setup to shoot .177 bbs. Over 350 ft per sec. recorded by the Chrono. Almost no sound.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by IR_mike

Explain why?

I live in NE calgary surrounded by city people-trap squawing would for sure draw a negative reaction.A guy in the area just practiceing with an air pistol,lost his gun and got an incredible hefty fine.

[covey ridge]

IIRC AO forum member, CaberTosser has quite a bit of experience with dealing with magpies.

[TimeOff]

Had the same problem in Westmount couple years ago. Neighbour and myself would take out the old Daisy BB gun out when the opportunity arose in our yards. Took a couple of weeks but they realized they weren't welcome. Doesn't kill them but I'm sure it smarts.
Funny thing, they would occupy a 4 block area, once they left we haven't seen them. Couple months and song birds filled our trees!

[stuckincity]

I always use a garden hose hanging from my computer room window.
I don't use a airgun or a airsoft because I have a couple of lib-lefty, anti-gun freak neighbors that would call the cops and snivel.

I found a garden hose spray gun at RONA that gives a real sharp, needle-like blast; and when I see 'em from the open window I'd get 'em up the butt or in the eye with it.

After a few times of that, they seldom came back.

The best time to get 'em up the butt is when they have their heads stuck in the bird houses and their behinds make a real easy target.


BTW, I made little "porches"* for the fronts of the bird houses, that stick out about an inch, so the magpies can't get their stoopid faces in far enough to grab the eggs or chicks. They try real hard and that's when their butts are the most exposed.


*The "porches" hafta be open at the sides and top or the nesting birds won't go in.

[elk396]

Originally Posted by coyoteman

I live in NE calgary surrounded by city people-trap squawing would for sure draw a negative reaction.A guy in the area just practiceing with an air pistol,lost his gun and got an incredible hefty fine.

Climb the tree and get rid of the nest! Done!!! They don't usually hang around unless they have a good spruce tree to nest in. Magpies fear me, they don't last near my place

[Salavee]

There is a forum member on here that has contact info for a gent called "Magpie Bill" in NE Edmonton.
He's trapped over 16,000 magpies in and around the Edmonton area.

I had an immense issue with Magpies vs Songbirds so bought three traps from Bill. The traps are awsesome and Bill provides a great tutorial...easy dispatching and disposal included.
Six more birds to go and they are all gone from this neighborhood... for now anyway. Worth every penny. Sorry, I lost Bills Ph number so hope our guy reads this.

[covey ridge]

There seems to a never ending bunch of magpies around our place. They nest in every yard but ours. Well they try to build nests but my wife climbs and destroys the nest before they are complete. Since there are no young magpies to be fed on our property, I have noticed more songbird young surviving. The magpies still show up at my feeding stations and even try to bully the other birds but they are really not a threat.

I am starting to have more problems with collared doves. We went from two to two hundred and two. I sort of enjoy seeing them but they are just as dirty as pigeons

[EZM]

I no longer chase the magpies away as they clean up after the dogs ...... they are sitting on the fence every morning waiting for my dogs to leave them a warm steamy treat. Yup .... gross ..... but very convenient for us.

A few years ago, I dealt with magpies using an air soft. Safe, easy, and legal to discharge in the city. A couple stinging pops and they won't come around anymore.

[ex811]

I'm a Bad neighbor...I like magpies, crows and ravens. I have no issues with them and would much rather have them around my property than songbirds, sparrows and the like.
I live in NW Calgary, and although it's frowned upon by my neighbors and there's even Bylaws in place, I feed these awesome birds simply to attract them and keep them on my property...as much as a birds stays on a property.
If I could, I'd build nests/habitat for them so that they'd remain on my property year round.
Good thing the OP and I aren't neighbors.

[Tungsten,]

A bone with a little meat on it ,screwed to something heavy ,positioned in a low spot hidden from nieghbors ,makes for easy pickens with the pellet gun.I have a lot of robins the last few years.

[Albertadiver]

Calling TreeGuy and Cabertosser.

Last time these two hosers were dealing with magpies together, someone, ended up with a murder of them in a garage!

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by ex811

I'm a Bad neighbor...I like magpies, crows and ravens. I have no issues with them and would much rather have them around my property than songbirds, sparrows and the like.
I live in NW Calgary, and although it's frowned upon by my neighbors and there's even Bylaws in place, I feed these awesome birds simply to attract them and keep them on my property...as much as a birds stays on a property.
If I could, I'd build nests/habitat for them so that they'd remain on my property year round.
Good thing the OP and I aren't neighbors.

Sounds like you and I are neighbors. I was up at 4:30am a few times this summer dealing with juveniles screaming in my trees. My green bin tends to have magpie feathers in it on occasion. Hate them things, and they run off all of the nice songbirds and such.

[guster]

I feed the ones around here all winter.
Like to hear them talk to each other better than my neighbors bulsh##.

[CaberTosser]

I might start a thread where one can enter their tally and keep a count going, heck I can just start it right here. I was just doing some work on my house when I noticed some magpies tending a nest in one of my trees; naturally that can't be tolerated, it would be like allowing David Suzuki to move in next door! At any rate, I had conveniently just bought a nice new 12' step ladder last week, that set me up within garden hoe distance of the nest. I was surprised how much mud was incorporated into the nest, and didn't see the eggs until they had landed in my yard. Apparently my yard is not made by Posturepedic because they broke. So sad , I think I will offer their mourning parents a stay at my magpie hotel by setting it out to help console them.


2018 magpies: at least 3 eggs, if not more. Scatter from the height was a factor.

I notice a similarly attended magpie nest in a neighbors tree but of course I'll have to ask him prior to helping him out with the infestation.

Stay tuned!

[Norwest Alta]

4 starlings today. The magpies seem to scatter when the gun comes out.

[Salavee]

Four Magpies (2 pair) nicely settled in on the acreage. Gone /compliments of Ruger 10/22 as they are very difficult to trap right now.

I left the dead ones visible out in the back and I haven't see a Crow, Raven or Magpie around here since. Robins are everywhere and I vow they will get a chance to raise their broods to maturity this year. I haven't seen a fledgling Robin around here in the last 4 years because of those suckers. Game On !

[TargetRick]

When you do destroy magpie nests, go from the bottom. The top is well armoured against other birds, but the bottom tends to be thin. Rip it out from there.

[1899b]

In our old neighbourhood we had lots. Moved 6 blocks and haven’t seen one. Sure enjoy being in a neighbourhood without them. I used to bait them and give them the ol what for every once in a while..

[spoiledsaskhunter]

..........get a trap and go for it. who cares whether the neighbours agree or not?

[2big4u]

Early this spring, Letting my year old hound in after dark. He comes in the door and straight to his crate faster than usual. Took a minute but I heard him making a fuss and went to see. He had a mostly dead magpie for company with him. Seems to have gotten a taste for em, He has now taken 2 from our yard and runs a pretty tight patrol for them, Squirrels and rabbits.