Maghreb magpie

The Maghreb magpie (Pica mauritanica) is a species of magpie found in North Africa from Morocco east to Tunisia.^[1] It can be distinguished from the Eurasian magpie by the patch of blue skin behind its eye, the narrower white belly, the shorter wings, and the longer tail.^[2]

Maghreb magpie
In Souss-Massa, Morocco
Marrakech, Morocco
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Corvidae
Genus:	Pica
Species:	P. mauritanica
Binomial name
Pica mauritanica Malherbe, 1845
Range of P. mauritanica   Resident

Pica pica mauritanica (MHNT)

A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that the Maghreb magpie was sister to a clade containing all the other members of the genus Pica.^[3]

In recent years, the population of Maghreb magpie in Tunisia has been experiencing a decline. Research has shown that depredation of nestlings by the southern grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis), Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) and black rats (Rattus rattus) were the most important causes of nest failure. The species is subject to brood parasitism by the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius).^[4]