Mongolian Ground-Jay
Podoces hendersoni
With its long, slightly decurved bill, flashy black-and-white wings, and ground-loving behavior, this bird is far from a typical jay. Sandy brown overall with a black crown and a thin dark line behind the eye. Clean pale face, less extensive white in the wing, and lack of white on the rump distinguish it from similar-looking Xinjiang Ground-Jay. Inhabits open, dry steppeland and high-altitude semi-desert, where it forages on the ground but often perches up on exposed boulders or snags.
Identification
The bird is light tan with iridescent blue on its primary feathers. It has a long, curved beak and a black stripe on its forehead.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Podoces hendersoni
- Authority
- Hume, 1871
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
- Genus
- Podoces
Range and habitat
It is found in arid areas of Central Asia (Mongolia, northern China and adjacent areas of Russia and Kazakhstan). It is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. It tends to live on areas with gravel surfaces.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Eggs are typically laid and hatched in April-May. They nest in Prunus pedunculata. Females spend more time foraging and the males spend more time brooding the chicks at the start of the nesting period. <p>They are most active in the morning.<p>Among ground jays, they have a relatively short trill call.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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