Eurasian magpie; common magpie
Refers to the bird species Pica pica. In Japan, it is found mainly in Kyushu and is known for its black-and-white plumage and long tail.
The magpie has white and black feathers.
In Kyushu, you often see magpies.
Hiragana spelling is also used, but katakana is more typical for animal names.
Kanji form is rare and may not be recognized by many readers; usually written in kana.
The Japanese word かささぎ is of native origin, with uncertain etymology. The kanji 鵲 is a Chinese character used for the magpie, but its historical derivation in Japanese is not clear.