A study has shown that magpies have the mental ability to recognize themselves in a mirror. They know that the image they see belongs to them. Peviously, this particular skill was thought to exist only in mammals — humans, chimpanzees, elephants, and dolphins. Magpies are related to crows. Both are members of the corvid family, the smartest of the world’s bird families. The study was done by German scientists. There are several species of magpies in the world. Minnesota has one of them, the Black-billed Magpie, shown above, most easily found in the northwest corner of the state. This species also is found in Eurasia and Africa. Â

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