Javan green magpies at Jersey Zoo

Meet the brightly coloured Javan green magpies

With their bright green plumage and striking orange beaks, the Javan green magpies are impossible to miss. When the birds hatch, they have blue plumage and this then becomes green after their first moult, due to their high protein diet. Researchers believe that the brighter the bird’s green feathers are, the more likely they are to mate! Unfortunately, the Javan green magpie’s unique appearance makes then highly valuable to poachers in the illegal pet trade. Now less than 250 birds are believed to be left in the wild.

Animal facts

Key facts about the Javan green magpie

I’m found in Java

Javan green magpies live in the forests of western Java, Indonesia.

I’m a carnivore

Javan green magpies eat insects, and in the wild will eat small lizards and frogs.

I’m born with blue plumage

Javan green magpies become green after their first moult.

<250

estimated wild population

130g

average weight

1-2

eggs laid per breeding season

An uncertain future

Found only in the forests of western Java, these songbirds have been extensively poached for the pet trade. It is now believed there are less than 250 left in the wild. Zoos worldwide contribute to the captive breeding programme of Javan green magpies. This is to ensure a safety net population for when it is safe to release birds into the wild.

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