I will defend Magpies to the hilt... yes they feed on meat... roadkill or baby birds.. but they do it for food and to feed their young. The government is currently sanctioning a cull on Magpies & it makes my blood boil At the same time there are initiatives to preserve the cuckoo... yet the cuckoo lays its egg in reed warblers nests, and when it hatches it pushes the warblers eggs out of the nest (killing them)... I hate the prejudice agains Magpies. they are beautiful birds. They mate for life... if their mate dies, the remaining one soon follows, as its so bereft it fails to look after itself properly.
And... anyone saying that Magpies are the most vicious bird out there wanna research Robins.. they are really vicious birds!
As for baby blackbirds getting killed.. yeah, its heartbreaking. the bloody things fledge 1-2 weeks before they can fly... living on the ground whilst still fairly helpless & dependent on the parents for food. We've had a couple in our flowerbeds in that state... & for the whole fortnight I have to take the dog into the garden on a lead... and am forever chasing off cats that come anywhere near the garden.