"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?

[Mickythehuckster]

Just to add I have two dogs, three cats and and several budgies, watch national geo and love david attenborough so am an animal lover but just can't get my head around humans talking to one species of bird in fear

[snags]

for fluffs sake...

[gness]

I always say Good Day to a magpie. I also pull my hair and pinch the person with me when I see one. If I am in Devon I spit three times at the sight of a magpie. My daughter lives in Devon and won`t go out with me in case I spot a magpie.

[giveup]

I always say "Good Morning Mr Magpie". Don't tempt fate.

[Mickythehuckster]

Gness, what relevance does this behaviour have exactly?

[Mickythehuckster]

Giveup, fate? You think the universe is controlled by the actions of humans towards a mangy flearidden bird?
Please.

[gness]

None at all M. But my daughter is a scientist and it annoys the life out of her.:-)
The above are though, actions carried out by people spotting magpies. I believe there are many more. I guess some folk are just wary of magpies. Beautiful and clever birds IMO.

[paddywak]

It's an old country tradition, my father not only greeted them but he always raised his cap if he was wearing one.

[gness]

Mangy and flearidden!!!!? Now you may have to start greeting one....just in case!

[Mickythehuckster]

Gness do you know where or why this started as I am genuinely interested in it's origins now.

[ChuckFickens]

I shoot them, is this counted as a greeting?

[Philtaz]

Yep, round these parts it's traditional to salute them and say "Good morning Mr Magpie, how are you and all your family"?

[Mickythehuckster]

Well gness if I'm attacked by a flock of birds or slip in the gutter on the way home i'll certainly think back to this.

Paddywak, it's an old country tradition? Do you know why or where it started?

[Mickythehuckster]

"I shoot them, is this counted as a greeting?"

Whoah easy there tiger, a simple act of defiance by not greeting them would be understood, but murdering living creatures? Hmmm..

Unless you were joking? Or they've pooed on your brand new suit?

[paddywak]

I've read somewhere Micky it comes from the old traditional children's counting rhyme, one for sorrow etc and that by greeting a single magpie you could ward off the bad luck

[Mickythehuckster]

Ahah, so maybe paddywk there's no real fear there and maybe kids heard grandparents or parents say it who used to hear their ones say it and so on until the origin?

[Eve.]

A friend of mine does it and salutes them too.

[Mickythehuckster]

Could I ask whether the people do it are from the country and are elderly or older as I've never seen kids do it in the city

[ChuckFickens]

"Unless you were joking"

Nope, Magpies are officially vermin, they'll drive away all other species of bird from gardens and eat other baby birds and eggs, if you want song birds in your garden then getting rid of any magpies is the only way to do it.

[WyeDyed]

There are several superstitions concerning the magpie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Magpie