"Hello mr. magpie how's your wife and kids" Why do people say this?

[Mickythehuckster]

I was in my back garden one morning when I heard my neighbour saying the above phrase, as I thought she was talking to me I said "Eh?" She then replied "Oh I was just saying "hello mr. magpie how's your wife and kids to the magpie"
I replied, "You was talking to a bird, are you mad?"
And then she went on to tell me that many do this to ward of bad luck to which I replied "Do you do this to eagles, owls, crows or any other dangerous birds which could cause you damage or take your eye out?" and she said , no just the magpie, which lets me honest couldn't harm a fly so why the fear and superstition?
The funniest thing was when I invited her to a seance where we were going to do a ouija board she said no as "It's black arts"
Well isn't an irrational fear of a docile bird and then talking to it which could be considered a spell the "Black arts?"
The other day I actually ran over a magpie on a bend which I didn't see until the last moment and still feel bad about, but anyway I ran over this magpie and didn't say the "Hello mr magpie, blah blah voodoo" and I actually won £1800 on a scratchcard! So much for bad luck eh?
What are your thoughts on this voodoo ritual?

[gness]

There are so many stories M. I was always told the magpie was cursed because it was the only bird not to comfort Jesus at the crucifixion. May be Irish or English. It is also reputed to carry a spot of the blood of Jesus under it`s tongue. In Scotland a magpie brought death to a house if it was near a window. Probably happened once and grew from there. As Paddy says a great deal comes from the rhyme. An interesting bird.
You will of course have to pay one day Chuck!!!!

[B00]

http://www.theanswerb...are-magpies-bad-luck/

[jno]

I always greet owls. I say: "Well, I'm just off to a speed dating course to learn how to interact romantically with the opposite sex - to wit, to woo."

[Mickythehuckster]

Jno owls are a different species to Magpies which this thread is dedicated to,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie

Very very different my friend.

[gness]

I`m slow answering Micky...painting ceiling at same time. My daughter hadn`t heard of this until moving down south for uni. Most of her friends from Devon and Dorset do it and they are in their twenties and thirties. Must admit I do say good morning now `though it`s not a tradition here.
Could never shoot a bird. Have lots of birds in my garden including magpies. The only threat comes from cats.

[sherrardk]

I salute single magpies at anytime of day. When I was working it made me look like I had some sort nervous twitch (twoo).

[Nibble]

I always say "Good Morning Mr Magpie"..... always have, always will

[boxtops]

^^ erm, that was me, I can't hear nibble saying that :-)

[Mickythehuckster]

Nibble do you also say "Hello mr pigeon, hello mr sparrow? Do you greet every ornithological creation by saying hello to it? Isn't that being a little birdist?
Haha, sorry I couldn't resist, but seriously, why or why not?

[gness]

Sher :-)) Had forgotten about saluting. My daughter doesn`t do anything when she sees a magpie. My children can be a tad serious at times. Though I think she has never forgiven me for the made up ginger biscuit superstition.

[Psybbo]

Well someone had to say
1 for sorrow, 2 for joy, 3 for a letter, 4 for a boy, 5 for silver, 6 for gold and 7 for a secret, never to be told.

[boxtops]

No, he/we wouldn't, micky - it's a magpie-only superstitition (but personally, yes, I'll say Hallo Robin, if there is one in our garden)

[Mickythehuckster]

Sibton someones already mentioned that but what does it have to do with magpies or superstition?

[Mamyalynne]

Be very careful!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHreVKgOT4

[Psybbo]

Mick, it applies to the number of magpies seen

[boxtops]

here you go http://www.timelessmy...saulting-magpies.html

[gness]

Now you`ve done it Micky. Never want to be an anything ist so I will have to go and say hello to all the birds in my garden. May be some time.

[Mickythehuckster]

Haha, what the hell was wrong with that magpie in mamyalynne's video, are they all that violent? had the cyclist been unaware of the magpie and then suddenly divebombed as he tried to overtake a car or lorry he could have been killed!

[Mamyalynne]

Exactly!! A Magpie scorned.

[Mickythehuckster]

Haha, come on mamyalynne, my guess would be that someone with a helmet scared the bird or got to near to it's nest and then this magpie went on to attack anyone who wore a helmet as it though this was the perpetrator.
This was clearly demonstrated when he took off his helmet and was left alone and not because he didn't salute it, tip his hat or inquire about the magpies family or friends though it was a great video.