Magpie
To see a single Magpie is considered unlucky, so you may hear people greeting the bird with 'Hello Mr Magpie. How/Where is your wife?' to allay the bad luck.
Magpies are often seen as sneaky due to their penchant for shiny objects, such as jewellery and coins, their lack of a pretty singing voice, and their habit of eating the eggs found in bird nests.
An old English folk tale states that when Jesus was crucified on the cross, all of the birds sang to comfort him with the exception of the magpie.
In Scotland they're considered a sign of impending death, but in China spotting one is regarded as good luck. Generally they're not all bad though, only when alone: The old rhyme goes: 'One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told.'
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