Magpie, the National Bird Beloved by the Korean People

From olden times, the Korean people have particularly loved, formed special ties and lived in intimacy with magpies, for they are believed to bring happy news.

The all-season bird magpie lives wherever people live in our country; in the hills, flat areas and villages.

A magpie is 45㎝ in length. Its wing is 18-21㎝ long , tail, 20-25㎝ and bill, 3㎝.

From the early spring, female and male magpies build nests with tree branches on trees and make the place for their eggs durable and soft with mud, dry grass blades, feather, clothes, etc.

Nest building is completed between February and mid-March and 4-6 eggs are laid in early April.

Female and male brood in turn and after 18 days baby birds hatch out.

A month later, they let the young birds fly.

Sometimes, there are white variation magpies, too.

From the olden times Koreans considered magpies as news delivering birds, and clever and mysterious birds, and they protected and loved them.

There are lots of birds in the world but not many of them are kept dear in the hearts of our people, familiar with our people, and given the endearing names of ‘lucky birds’, and ‘wise birds’ like magpies.

Magpie has been designated the National Bird of DPR Korea by the Law on the National Symbols adopted through Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly Decree No 1220 dated February 2, Juche 112(2023).