Why don't we just exterminate all magpies? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

metallicat · 06-30-2008, 06:22 AM

Honestly, these scavengers are driving me insane. Maybe it's just where I live, but there seems to be an insane number of these pests this year. It seems every time I hear their loud squawking, I go outside to find them and a cat stalking the robins and sparrows.

So forget about bears, let's exterminate magpies simply because they are annoying the out of me at 6:00AM.

dissentowner · 06-30-2008, 08:06 AM

Put me down for doves, there is always one cooing outside my window at 5am.

Regulator75 · 06-30-2008, 08:15 AM

Put me down for those flying rats... pigeons.

Kybosh · 06-30-2008, 08:23 AM

The Homeless?

burn_baby_burn · 06-30-2008, 08:51 AM

Believe me I have tried. They are really smart though and not easy to shoot. Growing up on a ranch in southern Alberta. When the trees around our house would be full of them. I would go get the shot gun, when I came out of the house they would all be gone. First one I ever shot was with a .22. Shot it from inside the house through a hole in the screen of one of the windows. The only other time you have a chance, is when they are young and have just left the nest. Other than that it is almost impossible to get a clean shot at one.

Ayrahb · 06-30-2008, 08:53 AM

First they came for the bears, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a bear.

Then they came for the magpies, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a magpie.

Then they came for the pigeons, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a pigeon.

Then they came for me -
and there was no one left to speak for me.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 06-30-2008, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrahb

First they came for the bears, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a bear.

Then they came for the magpies, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a magpie.

Then they came for the pigeons, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a pigeon.

Then they came for me -
and there was no one left to speak for me.

Screw you you godless Otter!
We should have come for you first!

Regulator75 · 06-30-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrahb

First they came for the bears, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a bear.

Then they came for the magpies, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a magpie.

Then they came for the pigeons, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a pigeon.

Then they came for me -
and there was no one left to speak for me.

I guess you also want doves exterminated?

Russic · 06-30-2008, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Screw you you godless Otter!
We should have come for you first!

LOL

I shot a magpie once with a .22, 15 feet away right in the chest. It looked at me, screeched and flew away. It was the damndest thing. They are natures perfect machine.

ernie · 06-30-2008, 09:42 AM

Good luck shooting them. The darn things are all feathers. I'm not even sure they actually have any sort of body.

metallicat · 06-30-2008, 09:43 AM

No word of a lie, I watched a guy a couple of years ago, shoot about a dozen magpies in a tree in his front yard. He rarely missed. I don't know if there was such a large concentration of the birds or what, but he hit a lot of them. The stupid things would scatter after one got shot, and then fly right back into the tree.

redforever · 06-30-2008, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

No word of a lie, I watched a guy a couple of years ago, shoot about a dozen magpies in a tree in his front yard. He rarely missed. I don't know if there was such a large concentration of the birds or what, but he hit a lot of them. The stupid things would scatter after one got shot, and then fly right back into the tree.

You can shoot magpies, I have done so, but they are very very crafty. They must have acute eyesight because they notice any new motion. So if you see a magpie say out in your yard, and you go out on your deck, as soon as that door opens, they are gonzo. Perhaps not the first time you go out there, but once they have been shot at, they are extremely wary.

The ones here don't come back right away and they don't come back as a flock either if they are wary. They send in a sentinel to see if the coast is clear. And they have some kind of squawk language. As soon as that sentinel makes a certain squawk, the rest come in for whatever they were feeding on.

I don't have a problem with magpies in general, they really do get rid of a lot of garbage and carrion. They can however be extremely noisy, especially about now when their young ones are flying from the nest. And I do have a problem when they come and eat the suet I put out for the chickadees. Even a bluejay is not as glutinous as a magpie. The bluejay will come and take a few mouthfuls of suet, then finish up on sunflower seeds and he is gone. The magpie won't stop eating suet until it is all gone and he will finish up the suet in 15 minutes whereas the chickadees will nibble on that same suet for a week.

mykalberta · 06-30-2008, 10:09 AM

+1 for killing pigeons.

Traditional_Ale · 06-30-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

LOL

I shot a magpie once with a .22, 15 feet away right in the chest. It looked at me, screeched and flew away. It was the damndest thing. They are natures perfect machine.

No kidding!

My girlfriend and I are always getting woken up by friggin Magpies! There ARE TONNES this year! We have taken to keeping a Super Soaker 500 type rifle in the bedroom, and then letting the f-ers have it. Couple rounds of this and they stay far enough away not to get shot.

They're loud too. Effin' magpies.

Gozer · 06-30-2008, 10:57 AM

http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/0...edon_the_l.php

octothorp · 06-30-2008, 11:20 AM

We just need more lions roaming the city. It worked for reducing the golden eagle population at the Vancouver Zoo, in theory it should work for magpies here.

mykalberta · 06-30-2008, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gozer

http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/0...edon_the_l.php

PITA can go to hell, I have killed 2 pigeons this year alone, well actually the ground killed them after falling from my balcony, I just shot them in the head with a rock from a slingshot I got from Canadian Tire about 7 years ago.

metallicat · 06-30-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octothorp

We just need more lions roaming the city. It worked for reducing the golden eagle population at the Vancouver Zoo, in theory it should work for magpies here.

I laughed, I couldn't believe Global News showed stills of the eagle in the lions mouth, LOL.

Russic · 06-30-2008, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

No kidding!

My girlfriend and I are always getting woken up by friggin Magpies! There ARE TONNES this year! We have taken to keeping a Super Soaker 500 type rifle in the bedroom, and then letting the f-ers have it. Couple rounds of this and they stay far enough away not to get shot.

They're loud too. Effin' magpies.

That's actually probably more effective and humane than my way.

burn_baby_burn · 06-30-2008, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

No word of a lie, I watched a guy a couple of years ago, shoot about a dozen magpies in a tree in his front yard. He rarely missed. I don't know if there was such a large concentration of the birds or what, but he hit a lot of them. The stupid things would scatter after one got shot, and then fly right back into the tree.

Must have been young ones. One time I had a chance like that. Shot seven of them using a 12 guage. It was amazing, I had to keep running into the house for more shells. Shot one and the others just sat there squaking away. It was like a video game set on easy.