is a magpie a blackbird?..we have (dont see them often) redwing blackbirds..just a plane blackbird with about a 1 inch square area of red on the wing...I guess they're born angry and will attack at will or defend at will depending on how you look at it..never had a plane attacked by them..but I have chased a buzzard (buteo?, alright I got a D in ornithology!) or 2 with them...Rog