Hardworking magpie helps building firm put up new houses by passing nails, screws and pencils to construction team

A BUILDER has told how long shifts putting up new houses fly in — thanks to help from a hardworking magpie.

Joiner Graeme Stewart, 41, told how the wild bird appears at the site every day and pitches in by passing nails, screws and pencils to construction workers at the housing estate site in East Kilbride.

The animal has been visiting every day for a month and is so friendly it lands on the sleeve of labourers’ hi-vis jackets and even on their hard hats.

The lads have been rewarding the winged workie’s hard work with cheese and onion crisps.

Graeme told The Scottish Sun: “The magpie is there every day.
“It flies about from and hands up nails and whatever wee bits we need.

“It’ll sit on your arm and carry them to where they need to be hammered in.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in 25 years on sites.

“It’s fearless, unlike the electrician whose car it keeps landing on — he’s terrified.”

Graeme, from Cumbernauld, near Glasgow, told how the magpie flits between workers and houses being built and has even brought him a carpenters’ pencil.

It’s been spotted rummaging through tools in the back of open vans, landing on ladders to watch what’s going on and has stopped to perch on his head.

The magpie is believed to be a juvenile which has been sheltering in the partially built homes.

Graeme added: “It’s not bad as far as labourers go.

“We’ve been rewarding it by sharing our lunches, sandwiches and it had a bit of my steak bake.

“It’s favourite are crisps though.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to club together some shiny pennies for it at the end of the job.”

Magpies live up to five years in the wild and are known for collecting shiny objects like screws, jewellery and coins.