The Lone Magpie Page

What do you do when you see a lone magpie?

Click here to share your magpie superstitions and experiences

Many people in Britain and Ireland believe that it is bad luck to look upon a lone magpie. Over the years I have heard snatches of folklore regarding the appropriate reaction in order to ward off bad luck and these things have spurred my curiosity.

People in Northern Ireland will wave to the lone bird and say: "Good morning, Mister Magpie, I hope you find a mate." Apparently it is customary in Scotland to salute the lone magpie but the best custom I've ever heard of is from Yorkshire and involves making a cawing, magpie-like noise and flapping your arms like wings. The idea is that you're being the magpie's missing mate and, therefore, it is no longer alone. Noisy but entertaining.

After hearing of the Yorkshire custom I wanted to find out what other customs there are out there... Click here to share your magpie superstitions and experiences

Jane Needham, of Portsmouth wrote: "This morning my son got up to find a magpie in our kitchen!! We don't know how it got in but being very superstitions of the 'one for sorrow' ryhme, I am now expecting loads of doom & gloom!!!!"

Hmmm... have you checked the silver drawer for missing valuables?

Jess Austin, of Scotland wrote: "After hearing the poem 'One for Sorrow, Two for Joy' from an early age... I will automatically turn away from a lone magpie to avoid getting bad luck. If I see two together, I feel like I'm going to have a good day. It's just superstition..but I can't help it!

This is good - so some can see magpies as bringers of good as well as bad...

Karla, of Liverpool wrote: "I believe a Lancashire myth with regard to the sighting of magpie goes as follows: 'One for sorrow; Two for mirth; Three for a wedding; Four for a birth; Five for Silver; Six for Gold; Seven for a secret never to be told.' I do not know any 'legend' for greater numbers, but have seen as many as 12.

That's an interesting point - anyone heard any lines for eight or more?

brianna gadsden, of Australia wrote: "Once me and my friend were walking to the park and we didn't relise that there was a magpie in the tree so we were just walking and then the magpie swooped me and we ran home but it chased my friend all the way back to my house and it came up to my front and my friend was screaming with fear and it hit her on the head and she had a really bad nose bleed."

Blimey, that is one scary encounter - are the Australian magpies bigger than the ones in Europe like the American blue jay is bigger (and apparently a lot more aggressive) than the pinky ones in Europe?

Alishia-May, of the West Midlands wrote: "I have been described as being like a magpie."

Interesting - is this because you like to wear a lot of black and white or because you love to collect shiny objects?

Amy Christiana, of Mansfield, England wrote: "I happen to have a magpie that I feel is following me around, it really gets to me, I salute it. I see one more than not, I am home for the summer but it is always near m on my way to work, sometimes when I come home. I'm trying my best to get away from having possible bad luck but I just keep seeing it! :(

Now there's an interesting situation, Amy... Perhaps you'd be best off acknowledging that you're probably going to see this magpie most days. It's probably best to continue with the polite greeting routine which you've already established. Maybe, it actually likes you and, in time, it will become your friend? I wonder if it's worth offering it a titbit one day - maybe a scrap of bacon since they do like carrion. What does anyone else suggest? What do magpies like put out for them?

Tammy Taylor of England wrote in to say: "When I see a lone magpie I say one of three sayings:
1) Hello Mr Magpie, where is your wife today? and wave or salute
2)All alone Mr Magpie? Where is your mate to play?
3) Hello Mr Magipe, I hope you find a wife today."

Thanks for those Tammy. One thing that's interesting is that the magpie is always "Mister"... It seems to be a general assumption that the lone magpie must be male... most curious...

Pam Griffith of Merseyside wrote in to say she says: "Good morning, Mister Magpie, how's your family?"

Sounds friendly and civil enough, does anyone else know that one? Is it confined to Merseyside? Thanks for writing in, Pam.

Laurie, of South Carolina, USA wrote: "Here is the original magpie and also crow or raven counting rhyme:
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.
I've been looking into bird tattoos and, like Alishia-May, I have been called a magpie before. So I was looking up meanings and symbolism for magpies when I stumbled upon the site.
Eight for a wish
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird that you won't want to miss."

Interesting to hear the US side of things - is the superstition as strong over there or is it considered a quaint thing from the old country?

Here is a poem I wrote about magpies a couple of years ago. It was on the old-look Lone Magpie Page but I decided to leave it out when I did the rebuild... However, I found it quoted in a couple of completely separate blogs so I guess it must have said something to a few people which means it's time to put it back...

Magpie #1

Magpies are the
Park bench drunks
of the bird kingdom;
They hang about all day,
Screech at each other
And everyone else.
Nothing to do,
Nowhere else to go.

They feed from rubbish bins;
The mangled remains of Saturday's
Discarded donner
Is their idea of a Sunday roast.

They steal
For the sake of it;
A piece of foil,
A priceless diamond,
They're not really bothered,
So long as it sparkles.
Their nests must be
Boudoirs of bling.

Click here to share your magpie superstitions and experiences