Incredible encounter with a magpie

The best thing about watching wildlife in the mountains is observing animals without interrupting their normal activities. I just love watching them going about their daily routine. So, I always take extreme care to keep an appropriate distance so as not to disturb any wildlife with my presence. However, the other day something remarkable happened: I had a very, very close encounter with a Eurasian magpie (Pica pica). It was such a special moment that I can’t help but sharing it with you!

Playful

I was enjoying the sunny mountain scenery while sitting in a meadow in Les Bois, a beautiful area in the Chamonix valley, when a magpie landed on a wooden fence right next to me. The bird kept looking at me while chattering softly. Afraid that I would scare it if I moved, I kept very, very still. Then suddenly it hopped of its wooden post onto the grass, it picked up a little twig and hopped towards me. I reached out my hand and to my astonishment the bird gave me the little stick! I gave it back to him, and he cheerfully hopped around with it in a little circle while chattering excitedly, and then returned the twig to me again. A ritual we kept going for a while; we clearly were playing a game! And then, to my delight, he hopped onto my hand! He looked straight into my eyes, keeping his cheerful chatter going. After a while he flew off, leaving me wondering how this bird got so tame.

Not totally wild

Eurasian Magpies are common birds around human settlements in the Alps. They are part of the corvid family and are known to be incredibly smart. They have an extraordinary capacity to remember human faces which enables them to build close relationships with humans. My curiosity about how this particular bird got so tame, brought me to the Petit Social, a local bar in the village of Les Praz where I showed the girl behind the bar a picture of the magpie on my hand. She explained that a while ago a resident in Les Bois found a young magpie that still needed some parental care. They fed the little bird, resulting in a healthy and playful magpie that now enriches visits to the Les Bois area. For me, it was an experience I won’t soon forget!

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

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