Editing Magpie (section)

=== Cultural references ===
{{See also|Eurasian magpie#Relationship with humans|Black-billed magpie#Relationship with humans}}
Named as official bird of city of Edmonton, AB, CA in May 2025 [https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/audio/9.6757323 per CBC]

==== East Asia ====

In East Asian cultures, the magpie is a very popular bird and is a symbol of good luck and fortune.

The magpie is a common subject in Chinese paintings. It is also often found in traditional Chinese poetry and couplets. In addition, in Chinese folklore, all the magpies of the [[Qixi Festival]] every year will fly to the [[Milky Way]] and form a bridge, where the separated [[The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl|Cowherd and Weaver Girl]] will meet. The Milky Way is like a river, and the Cowherd and Weaver Girl refer to the famous [[Altair|α-Aquilae]] and [[Vega|α-Lyrae]] of modern Astronomy, respectively. For this reason, the magpie bridge has come to symbolize a relationship between men and women.

Magpies have an important place in the birth myth of [[Aixinjueluo Bukuri Yong Shun|Ai Xinjue Luo Bukuri Yushun]], the ancestor of the [[Qing dynasty]].

The magpie is a national bird of [[Korea]] and a symbol of its capital [[Seoul]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tree, Flower & Bird - |url=https://english.seoul.go.kr/seoul-views/seoul-symbols/4-tree-flower-bird/ |access-date=2023-08-12 |website=[[Seoul Metropolitan Government]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812232538/https://english.seoul.go.kr/seoul-views/seoul-symbols/4-tree-flower-bird/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Europe ====

In European culture, the magpie is reputed to collect shiny objects such as wedding rings and other valuables, a well known example being [[Rossini]]'s opera ''[[La Gazza Ladra]]'' (''The Thieving Magpie''). A recent study conducted by [[Exeter University]] found that [[Eurasian magpie]]s express [[neophobia]] when presented with unfamiliar objects, and were less likely to approach or interact with the shiny objects - metal screws, foil rings and [[aluminium foil]] - used in the experiments.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-08-16 |title=Magpies 'don't steal shiny objects' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28797519 |access-date=2022-05-02 |archive-date=2023-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605113927/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28797519 |url-status=live }}</ref>  However, magpies are naturally curious like other members of the corvid family, and may collect shiny objects, but do not favour shiny objects over dull ones.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-15 |title=Do Magpies Like Stealing Shiny Things? |url=https://www.audubon.org/news/do-magpies-stealing-shiny-things |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=Audubon |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520072251/https://www.audubon.org/news/do-magpies-stealing-shiny-things |url-status=live }}</ref>