Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

The limited distribution of yellow-billed magpies in California is described, with emphasis on Merced County, California. The state’s Fish and Game Code was temporarily amended in 1959 and again in 1961 to remove this species’ protected status temporarily, allowing lethal control. Use of strychnine baiting using walnut or almond meats is described, preceded by prebaiting, typically during January through May. Control also involved removal of nests by knocking the nests out of trees and then removing and destroying nesting materials.