First observation of burnt vertebrate carrion scavenging by black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia(Sabine)) highlights the need to evaluate all possible scavengers at a site

Abstract

We describe how an unusual facultative scavenger, the black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia (Sabine)), took advantage of the compromised nature of burnt skin to scavenge porcine remains with extensive, and hitherto unreported, efficiency. Scavenging appears to be minimally reported for this species. We serendipitously made these observations while conducting a workshop on forensic entomology in Missoula, Montana, in 2015. We also illustrate how excluding larger vertebrate scavengers may reveal and highlight the taphonomic effects of smaller facultative scavengers not so excluded. Such observations could be important to forensic investigators in wildlife or homicide investigations of burnt remains.