magpie Pica picanoisy black and white birdA magpie , seeing some light-coloured object conspicuous on the empty slope , flew closer to look . Many birds are regarded as being evil omens and portents of death , notably the magpie and the raven who are both thought of as the Devil 's own pets . After swimming a few lengths of the pool , she turned and floated on her back , enjoying the warmth of the sun on her half-submerged body , listening to the splashing of the other swimmers , their laughing voices , the harsh cries of magpies in the nearby forest , the occasional insect droning past . Kevin went up the back stairs , Mary chattering like a magpie . of the birdfeathersdroppingsnestby the birdcrywrt the birdnumberspopulation person who collects and hordes things He felt a bit like a magpie , gathering up all these snippets of information to pore over that night .Paul had a wonderful eye , widely ranging tastes and the acquisitive instinct of a magpie . Bardul uses this chamber to store an amazing range of things which he has picked up over the years in the hope that one day they might be useful . The place is a real magpie'snest . tending to horde; eclectic The pop style of Tom Jones was a development of Richardson's magpie approach to cinema aesthetics , already evident in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner , even drawing upon some pantomime elements from the ` Carry On ' films . Our magpie memories lingered on the oddities of war in North Devon and Cornwall -- of chocolates , cigarettes and , yes , French letters being washed up on the beach . So I will highlight the most entertaining or unusual sites on the Web and bring together articles from writers around the world . Check out my magpie collection . Helen 's magpie instincts for collecting extend to her bedroom , home for her £8 bed , where a simple decorating scheme is enhanced by a nostalgic collection of old hats and hatboxes , a pair of kid gloves , some theatre posters , a china doll and a host of other pretty objects , many gleaned from local markets . magpie robin type of bird Although it is black and white and often carries its tail cocked up , the Seychelles magpie robin is , of course , neither a magpie nor a robin .