Uŋkcékihe
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
The Magpie is a highly intelligent bird that is bold, beautiful and present across the Plains. The Magpies greatest gift came in helping out the Lakota Nation win the Great Race against the four-legged helping to provide and pave way for future generations. To this day the Magpie is still present around human activity and calls important places such as Bear Butte, the Badlands and the Black Hills home. Magpies can be easily identified with their large tales and bluish-green wing feathers. They are opportunistic wether feeding on the back of bison or scavenging an endless prairie dog town. The Magpie above spent time with me flying around the shaded escapes of the Badlands. To my surprise he noticed a Bull Snake about the same time as me and wasted no time to try and grab its tail. The snake disappeared just as quick as we both had found it.