The Story
This is an Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) that I photographed at Mati Temple (Mati Si) near Zhangye, Gansu, China on March 29, 2018. Its diet is mainly acorns and pine nuts, along with insects, fruit and scraps in parks and towns. It usually nests in loose colonies, with a single nest in each tree. It is a slender member of the crow family with a glossy black cap, a white throat and azure-blue wings and tail. IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. The Standing Buddha Hall at the North Temple is a large cave about 33 meters deep and 15 meters high.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW, at 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200. Many caves here have been damaged over the centuries, which is why the site’s national protection matters.
©2018 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) belongs to the family Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List