black-billed magpies are easily seen. They hop and walk on the ground with a swaggering and confident gait. Monotypic. Length 19". An unusually long-tailed black-and-white corvid with a black bill.

It’s not only blessed with an exceptionally long tail but a forward-leaning crest and vividly colored plumage. All in all, the magpie-jay can be 30 inches long, and more than half of it is its tail.