Sichuan Jay
Perisoreus internigrans
Sooty jay with a dark head and a bright yellow bill. Unlike many other jays, tends to be quiet and unobtrusive. Usually seen foraging in pairs or small family units. Glides across openings in the forest. Generally uncommon and local; frequently difficult to locate. No other corvid in the region combines a long tail, dark gray body, and yellow bill. Inhabits dense, mature coniferous forest in foothill valleys, high-altitude slopes, and flat areas.
Taxonomy
It is one of three members of the genus Perisoreus, the others being the Siberian jay, P. infaustus, found from Norway to eastern Russia, and the Canada jay, P. canadensis, restricted to the boreal forest and western montane regions of North America. All three species store food and live year-round on permanent territories in coniferous forests.
- Scientific name
- Perisoreus internigrans
- Authority
- (Thayer & Bangs, 1912)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
- Genus
- Perisoreus
Range and habitat
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
They are mostly situated in isolated fragments of highly elevated coniferous forests on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of west-central China. These locations are generally isolated, because of the mountainous terrain of the region. However, it is predicted that both of the extent of suitable habitat and the suitability of that habitat will decrease substantially under climate change. Climate change might force these birds to migrate northward and upward, where areas remaining for such compensatory extension are quite restricted. In addition, acceptable habitat will become much more disconnected, which may increase the negative effects of climate change indirectly by slowing, or halting gene flow and accelerating the rate of extinction of fragmented local populations.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Myiarchus cinerascens
Fairly large flycatcher of arid habitats. Extremely similar to other Myiarchus flycatchers and most easily identified by voice: listen for low, rough calls and flat “pip.” Also note overall pale appearance, especially the whitish throat and very pale yellow belly. Compare with the nearly identical Nutting’s Flycatcher (especially in Mexico) and larger-billed Brown-crested Flycatcher. Fairly common but unobtrusive in brushy woodlands and thickets in dry regions of western U.S. and Mexico, as far south as Honduras.
Guayaquil Woodpecker
Campephilus gayaquilensis
Large woodpecker found in both dry and humid forest in western Ecuador, northwestern Peru, and far southwestern Colombia. Note red head, white “V” on black back, white neck stripes, and barred lower underparts. On female, white neck stripe extends to beak. Similar to Lineated Woodpecker, but Guyaquil Woodpecker’s back stripes converge in a “V”, and it lacks a dark mask around the eye. Often perches on dead trees, and periodically pounds out a loud, powerful burst of knocks.
Chestnut Teal
Anas castanea
Male is very distinctively marked with a metallic green head, and rich chestnut flanks, but the female is a plain gray duck with a rounded crown. Female distinguished from Gray Teal by slightly darker neck/throat. White wing panels are distinctive in flight compared to purple/green of Pacific Black Duck.
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