Yellow-billed Blue Magpie

The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie is found along the forested slopes of the Himalayas, often at higher elevations than the closely related Red-billed Blue Magpie, with which it can overlap in some areas. In overall plumage the two species are very similar, both showing a black head, blue-grey body, and an extravagantly long, white-tipped tail.

It moves through montane forest in small groups, foraging actively and calling loudly as it travels.

• Head feathers are glossy black with a pale nape patch, closely matching the pattern seen in the Red-billed Blue Magpie
• Body contour feathers are blue-grey, covering the back, wings, and breast in a soft, even tone
• Underparts feathers are paler, whitish to light grey, contrasting mildly with the darker upperparts
• Tail feathers are very long and graduated, blue with white tips, essentially indistinguishable in color from the Red-billed Blue Magpie's tail feathers

Sexes look similar in plumage. Juveniles are duller with a browner tone to the body feathers and a shorter tail that lengthens through successive molts. One complete molt occurs annually after breeding.

• Found along the Himalayan range from northern Pakistan and India through Nepal to parts of southwestern China
• Favors montane broadleaf and mixed forest, generally at higher elevations than the Red-billed Blue Magpie
• Some populations shift to lower elevations outside the breeding season in response to weather and food availability

Yellow-billed Blue Magpies travel in small, active groups through mountain forest, feeding on insects, small animals, fruit, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other birds. Calls are loud and varied, similar to other Urocissa magpies, helping keep group members in contact through dense cover. Nests are bulky stick cups built in trees, often defended cooperatively by the group.