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magpies

  • plural
    of magpie.
    magpie
    noun
    either of two corvine birds, Pica pica black-billed magpie, of Eurasia and North America, or P. nuttalli yellow-billed magpie, of California, having long, graduated tails, black-and-white plumage, and noisy, mischievous habits.

Example Sentences

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Then, a mischief of magpies began a ruckus, chattering and hopping from branch to branch of a scraggly tree.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

It has also been observed in certain animals, including chimpanzees, dolphins, and magpies.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2025

The boy, having been fearful of getting lost, finds the way home again by following the thread of red yarn—only to discover that the magpies have prepared a wonderful Christmas surprise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025

Minhwa is a style of Korean folk art popular during the Chosun era, with the Hojak-do genre specializing in images of tigers, magpies and pine trees.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2025

I’ve been out since before it got light, it’s barely dawn now, deathly quiet except for the occasional outburst of chatter from the magpies in the trees above my head.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins