Azure-winged magpie
Amazing fact
A young azure-winged magpie has white feathers mixed into its head plumage and a short tail.
日本野鳥の会
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
A young azure-winged magpie has white feathers mixed into its head plumage and a short tail.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Azure-winged magpie
- Scientific name
- Cyanopica cyanus
- Japanese name
- オナガ
- Group
- Birds
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
- Genus
- Cyanopica
A member of the crow family, it has a long tail, just as its Japanese name (“long tail”) says. In Japan it lives mainly in eastern Honshu, in woods and in residential areas.
It lives in flocks all year round, and flock members communicate with many different calls.
When raising chicks, a young male born the year before may act as a “helper,” carrying nest material and food.
How the Azure-winged magpie lives
It eats insects and fruit, among other foods. During the breeding season, it piles branches in a tree to build a nest.
井の頭自然文化園Basic data
- Size
- Total length: 32–39 cm
- Diet
- Insects, fruit, and other foods
- Range
- Japan (Honshu), East Asia, and Europe
- Conservation status in Japan
- Near Threatened (NT)Assessed as Cyanopica cyanus japonicaMinistry of the Environment of Japan, 5th Red List (2026)
Where the Azure-winged magpie has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- オナガ
- 简体中文
- 灰喜鹊
- 繁體中文
- 灰喜鵲
- 한국어
- 물까치
- Español
- Rabilargo asiático
- Français
- Pie bleue
- Deutsch
- Azurelster
- Português (Brasil)
- Pega-azul
- Italiano
- Gazza azzurra
- العربية
- عقعق لازوردي الجناح
- Русский
- Голубая сорока
- Türkçe
- Mavi saksağan
- বাংলা
- আকাশী ডানার ম্যাগপাই
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 井の頭自然文化園 — オナガChecked: 2026-11-03
- 日本野鳥の会 — オナガChecked: 2026-11-05
- Ministry of the Environment of Japan, 5th Red List (2026)Checked: 2026-11-07
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
The conservation status in Japan is the category in the Red Lists of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, which assess the risk of extinction for wild animals in Japan.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Azure-winged magpie, look for this
- Look for its bluish wings.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
日本野鳥の会EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Azure-winged magpie
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Corvidae
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