What Magpies Eat: A Guide to Their Diet (UK)

If you’ve watched a magpie stalking across a lawn, raiding a feeder, or picking at something on a verge, you’ve probably wondered what it’s actually eating (and whether it’s “normal”). This practical, UK-focused guide answers what magpies eat: a guide to their diet by breaking their food into clear categories, explaining what changes through the seasons, and outlining safe ways to feed magpies in gardens. You’ll also find a quick list of foods to avoid, so you can help wildlife without causing harm.

What do magpies eat in the UK? (quick list)

Magpies are opportunistic omnivores. In plain terms: they’ll eat a wide variety of plant and animal foods, and they’re quick to take advantage of whatever is easiest to find.

• Invertebrates: beetles, worms, leatherjackets, spiders, slugs and snails, caterpillars, and other insects.
• Carrion and meat scraps: dead animals (including roadkill), leftovers after mowing or farming, and small pieces of meat where available.
• Seeds, grains, and nuts: especially in autumn and winter, plus items from feeders.
• Fruit and berries: windfall apples, elderberries, blackberries, and soft fruits in gardens.
• Eggs and nestlings: this can happen in spring, though it’s only one part of a much broader diet.
• Human food scraps: sometimes taken, but not ideal for their health (and can attract pests).

If you’d like a broader look at magpie behaviour and what makes them so adaptable, see Fascinating Magpies: Unique and Interesting Birds.

Invertebrates and insects (including ants)

A large chunk of a magpie’s everyday diet comes from invertebrates. On a damp morning you’ll often see them on short grass, probing and pulling up worms, or flipping leaves to find beetles and larvae. After heavy rain, lawns can become a buffet as soil life comes closer to the surface. In parks and gardens, they’ll also search compost edges, borders, and leaf litter for grubs and spiders.

Do magpies eat ants?

Yes, magpies do eat ants, though they’re not an “ant specialist” in the way some birds can be. Most often you’ll spot this on patios, dry paths, or around nests of flying ants in summer. Ants are usually taken as part of a wider sweep for small insects rather than a single-target meal.

Meat, carrion and scavenging

Magpies are well-known scavengers, and in the UK you’ll commonly see them picking at roadkill or other carrion. This can look grim, but it’s a normal ecological role: clearing up dead animals helps recycle nutrients. They’ll also take advantage of opportunities created by people and farming—freshly cut fields can expose insects and small creatures, and mowing lawns can reveal worms and larvae.

In gardens, magpies may investigate bird-table leftovers or bins. If you put out any meaty foods, only offer fresh, small amounts and remove what’s not eaten promptly. Spoiled food is a risk for birds and can quickly draw in rats.

Fruit, seeds and plant foods

Alongside animal prey, magpies readily eat plant foods. In hedgerows and woodland edges they’ll take seasonal berries, and in towns they may forage in ornamental plantings. Garden watchers often ask: do magpies eat fruit (and do magpies eat strawberries)? They can do, particularly if fruit is easy to access. You might see them sampling soft fruit, pecking windfall apples, or taking bits of pear.

This is usually opportunistic rather than a sign they “prefer” fruit. If you grow strawberries, netting or tidy harvesting is a more reliable fix than trying to deter magpies after the fact.

What magpies eat in different seasons

Spring: Protein becomes especially important. Magpies focus heavily on invertebrates and other high-energy foods to support breeding. You may also see them paying attention to nests; while nest predation can occur, it’s best viewed as one behaviour within a complex, varied diet.

Summer: Insects are abundant, and magpies take advantage—especially beetles, caterpillars, and flying ants. Soft fruits and berries become more available too.

Autumn: Expect more foraging for nuts, seeds, and windfall fruit. This is also when they may spend more time around feeders if you provide high-calorie options.

Winter: Natural prey is harder to find, so scavenging increases and magpies may become bolder in gardens, taking suet, peanuts, and whatever else is accessible.

What to feed magpies in your garden (and how)

If you enjoy seeing magpies up close, you can feed them safely—just keep it simple, clean, and consistent. Good options include:

• Unsalted peanuts (bird-safe; use a mesh feeder or scatter sparingly to reduce gulping)
• Suet pellets, blocks, or pieces (avoid anything mouldy or rancid)
• Mealworms (live or dried; provide fresh water nearby)
• Fruit pieces (apple, pear, berries) in small amounts
• Soaked raisins (only occasionally; soak to reduce dehydration risk)
• Soaked dog kibble in small quantities (dry kibble can be hard to swallow)
• Cooked egg (plain, cooled, and only as an occasional supplement)

How to put food out to reduce conflict

Magpies can dominate smaller birds, so spread food out in multiple spots rather than one central pile. Put out small amounts you know will be eaten, and clear leftovers the same day. Keep feeding areas clean to reduce disease risk, and avoid leaving food down overnight where it may attract rodents. If cats are active locally, place food where birds have clear sightlines and a quick escape route to cover.

Foods to avoid (for magpie health and UK wildlife)

Some common household foods can cause problems. Avoid offering:

• Salty foods (crisps, salted nuts, processed meats)
• Milk (birds don’t digest it well)</