Green jay

Cyanocorax yncas

Photo by Dorgelis Alcocer (Facebook)

Common name:
green jay (en); gaio-verde (pt); geai vert (fr); chara verde (es); grünhäher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae

Range:
This species is found in two separate population, one from southern Texas, in the United States, down to northern Honduras, and another from northern Venezuela and along the slopes of the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru down to central Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 25-31 cm long and have a wingspan of 35-40 cm. They weigh 65-110 g.

Habitat:
The green jay is mostly found in tropical rainforests, both in lowlands and mountainous areas, moist scrublands and dry savannas, but also in high-altitude scrublands and dry scrublands. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They are omnivorous eating arthropods, small vertebrates, fruits, berries, seeds and nuts. Their prey includes beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, bugs, wasps, spiders, centipedes, small rodents, lizards and the eggs and young of small birds.

Breeding:
Green jays are monogamous and nest in a bulky but loose cup of sticks and thorny twigs, lined with rootlets, grass, moss, and sometimes leaves. The nest is placed in a dense tree or scrub, usually placed 2-5 m above the ground. The female lays 3-5 greenish-white eggs with dark spot, which she incubates alone for 17-18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19-22 days after hatching. The young may remain in the parental territory until the following breeding season, and may even help feed the next brood.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range. There is no information regarding the trend of the global population, but the green jay is increasing and expanding in range in the United States.

Black-headed jay

Garrulus lanceolatus

Photo by Srimonti Dutta (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
black-headed jay (en); gaio-de-cabeça-preta (pt); geai lancéolé (fr); arrendajo cabecinegro (es); strichelhäher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae

Range:
This species is found along the southern foothills of the Himalayas mountain range, from western Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, through northern India and into Nepal.

Size:
These birds are 30-35 cm long and weigh 85-105 g.

Habitat:
The black-headed jay is mostly found in mixed oak-pine and oak-cedar forests, but also in scrublands, arable land and sometimes goes near human settlements. They are present at altitudes of 1.500-4.000 m.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, eating mainly invertebrates and small vertebrates such as small lizards, eggs and nestlings of small birds, but also seeds, acorns and berries.They also scavenges discarded food scraps near villages.

Breeding:
Black-headed jays breed in April-July. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a deep, loose foundation of twigs, lined with rootlets, grass stems and rhizoids similar to horsehair. It is placed in a fork in a tree or large scrub, 5-7 m above the ground. The female lays 3-5 eggs, which she incubates alone for 16 days while being fed by the male. The chicks fledge 3 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be relatively common, although less so in Nepal. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Fan-tailed raven

Corvus rhipidurus

Photo by René Larsen (Flickr)

Common name:
fan-tailed raven (en); corvo-de-cauda-curta (pt); corbeau à queue courte (fr); cuervo colicorto (es); borstenrabe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae

Range:
This species is found in the Middle East and north-eastern Africa, from Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya.

Size:
These birds are 47 cm long and have a wingspan of 102-120 cm. They weigh 340-610 g.

Habitat:
The fan-tailed raven is found arid and semi-arid regions, especially near cliffs or crags suitable for nesting and in dry savannas and scrublands, grasslands, near freshwater springs and oasis, and also in pastures, arable land, rural gardens and urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 4.000 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, taking insects and other invertebrates, but also human waste from garbage dumps, carrion, grain taken from animal dung and various fruits. They are also known to take skin parasites from camels.

Breeding:
Fan-tailed ravens breed in February-July. They nest is a loose platform or cup, made of sticks, twigs and roots, and lined with wool, hair, cloth, freshly plucked twigs and other soft material. It is placed on a crevice, or sheltered ledge, usually in an inaccessible cliff, or more rarely on human buildings. There are also some rare cases where they nested on trees. The female lays 2-4 pale greenish-blue eggs with brown blotches and speckles, which are incubated for 18-20 days. There is no information regarding the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as locally common over most of its range and locally abundant in western Arabia and Ethiopia. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to inter-specific competition in some parts of its range

Chihuahuan raven

Cirvus cryptoleucus

Photo by Dave Beaudette (Flickr)

Common name:
Chihuahuan raven (en); corvo-da-planície (pt); corbeau à cou blanc (fr); cuervo llanero (es); weißhalsrabe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae

Range:
This species is found is found in the southern United States , from Colorado and Kansas down to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and in northern Mexico.

Size:
These birds are 46-53 cm long and have a wingspan of 104-110 cm. They weigh 380-670 g.

Habitat:
The Chihuahuan raven is mainly found in dry, open grassland with scattered trees and scrubs, but also in dry scrublands and arable land from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, eating large insects, cultivated grains, carrion, eggs, young birds, fruits, lizards, small mammals, garbage.

Breeding:
Chihuahuan ravens breed in May-July. They either nest in loose colonies or in lonely pairs. The nest is an pen cup of sticks with softer lining, such as wool, fur, cotton, paper, rope, tree bark, grass, or yucca fibres. It is usually placed in a low tree or on human-made structure, such as machinery, building, or utility pole, 2-12 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-8 green to blue eggs with brown blotches, which are incubated by both parents for 18-21 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 28-31 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the population has shown a stable trend over the last 4 decades. 

Siberian jay

Perisoreus infaustus

Photo by Daniel Pettersson (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Siberian jay (en); gaio-siberiano (pt); mésangeai imitateur (fr); arrendajo funesto (es); unglückshäher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae

Range:
These birds are found in northern Eurasia, from Scandinavia to eastern Russia and northern China.

Size:
The Siberian jay is 26-29 cm long and have a wingspan of 40-46 cm. They weigh 75-95 g.

Habitat:
They are mostly found in boreal forests, especially old pine forests with plenty of lichens, but can also be found in mixed temperate forests along the southern parts of their range.

Diet:

The Siberian jay is omnivorous. They hunt small mammals and birds, raid the nests of other birds for eggs, take various arthropods and will also eat carrion. They also eat various plant materials, especially blueberries.

Breeding:

They breed in March-June. Both sexes build the nest, a platform made of sticks, twigs, lichen and bark, lined with pieces of bark and feathers and placed near the ground, close to the trunk of a tree. There the female lays 3-5 greenish eggs with grey and brown spots. The female incubates the eggs alone for 19-20 days, while the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 20-24 days, ys, but stay together in a brood with their mother for some weeks. Each pair raises a single clutch per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 2-8,5 million individuals. The population is estimated to be in decline following decreases in the southern edge of its range.

Red-billed chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:
red-billed chough (en); gralha-de-bico-vermelho (pt); crave à bec rouge (fr); chova piquirroja (es); Alpenkrähe (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae


Range:
This species is found in the British Isles, in southern Europe from Portugal to Turkey, in Morocco and Algeria, and into the middle latitudes of Asia as far east as eastern China and Mongolia.


Size:
These birds are 37-41 cm long and have a wingspan of 68-90 cm. They weigh 270-310 g.


Habitat:
The red-billed chough is found in rocky areas, both on the coast, in river valleys and mountains, in pastures, grasslands, scrublands and low-intensity agricultural areas. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 7.900 m, in the Himalayas.


Diet:
They mostly collect invertebrates from the ground, namely beetles, fly larvae, spiders and ants. They also eat the parasites of domestic mammals, grain and berries.


Breeding:
Red-billed choughs tend to breed in small, loose colonies, but will sometimes breed singly. The bulky nest is made of roots and stems, and lined with wool or hair. It is placed in a cave or similar fissure in a crag or cliff face. There the female lays 3-5 creamy eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 17-18 days while receiving food from the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 31-41 days after hatching. Each pair raises a single brood per year.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 300.000-1.500.000 individuals. The population is estimated to be in decline following noted decreases in the European population, but this represents just 25-50% of the global population and not all countries show the same trend, so the overall trend is uncertain.

House crow

Corvus splendens

Photo by Anton Croos (Wikipedia)

Common name:
house crow (en); gralha-indiana (pt); corbeau familier (fr); cuervo indio (es); glanzkrähe (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Corvidae


Range:
This species originates from southern Asia, from southern Iran and Pakistan, throughout India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, and into Bangladesh and south-western Thailand. In recent decades, these birds colonized coastal cities in Australia, eastern and southern Africa, Europe, eastern North America and several island states, which they reached by travelling in ships.


Size:
These birds are 40-42 cm long and weigh 250-370 g.


Habitat:
The house crow is only found in human settlements, especially in industrial areas.


Diet:
These birds are omnivorous, feeding largely on human refuse, but also taking small reptiles, insects and other invertebrates, eggs and nestlings of other birds, small mammals, fishes, frogs, crustaceans, cereal grains, fruits and nectar.


Breeding:
Within their native range, house crows breed in March-July. The nest is a large bowl of sticks and wires, lined with soft plant and animal fibres. It is usually placed in a fork of a tree, or less often on a telephone pole or in a building. There the female lays 3-6 pale blue-green eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 16-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 21-28 days after hatching, but only becoming fully independent several weeks later. Each pair raises 1-2 broods per year.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be very abundant within human settlements. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Pied crow

Corvus albus

(Photo from Animal Picture Archive)

Common name:

pied crow (en); gralha-seminarista (pt); corbeau pie (fr); cuervo blanco (es); schildrabe (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Corvidae

Range:

This African species is found from Senegal to Sudan, northern Ethiopia and Somalia and south to South Africa, only being absent from the dense tropical forests of the Congo basin and from southern Angola and northern Namibia.

Size:

These birds are 46-52 cm long and weigh 520 g.

Habitat:

Pied crows are found in savanna woodlands and bushy scrublands, but they are most abundant in farmland, and in urban and suburban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.700 m.

Diet:

These birds are omnivorous, eating fruits, seeds and nectar, but also animals ranging from insects and molluscs to lizards, snakes, rodents, bats and birds.

Breeding:

Pied crows breed September-February. Both sexes build the nest, a large bowl made of twigs, sometimes including bits of wire and lined with fur, dry dung, rags or sheep wool. The nest is usually placed in a vertical fork of a tall tree. There the female lays 4-6 pale-green eggs with brown spots, which she mostly incubates alone for 18-19 days. The chicks are reared by both sexes and fledge 38-45 days.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the pied crow is described as common to locally abundant, although closely associated with human habitation. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.