Taccola della Dauria

Identificazione

At about 32 cm (13 in) in length, the Daurian jackdaw is about the same size as or slightly smaller than the western jackdaw, with the same proportions and identical habits. The principal difference lies in the plumage; many but not all adults have large areas of creamy white on the lower parts extending up around the neck as a broad collar. The head, throat, wings, and tail are glossy black and the ear coverts are grizzled grey. Darker adults and young birds resemble western jackdaws, though Daurian jackdaws have black irises, unlike the distinctive grey-white irises of the Eurasian jackdaw. The only other pied corvid species inhabiting the same region is the Chinese collared crow (Corvus torquatus), but as this is a much larger bird (about the same size or slightly larger than the carrion crow), confusion is unlikely to occur.

Tassonomia

Nome scientifico

Coloeus dauuricus

Autorità

(Pallas, 1776)

Ordine

Passeriformi

Famiglia

Corvidi

Genere

Coloeus

Areale e habitat

The Daurian jackdaw ranges from the southern part of eastern Siberia, south to Mongolia and throughout much of China. In the north of its range it migrates further south during the winter. It is a scarce winter visitor to Korea, a rare annual winter visitor to Japan, and a vagrant to Taiwan. There are a few records from Western Europe. It inhabits open woodland, river valleys, and open hills and mountains.

Migrazione

Complete migrants

Comportamento

It is a sociable species often found in association with rooks.<p>The food is similar to that of the western jackdaw and includes cultivated grains, insects, berries, eggs, carrion, and faeces.<p>The species will nest in trees where suitable cavities cannot be found, though tree hollows, rock openings and ruined buildings are still favoured. The eggs are similar to those of the western jackdaw.

Conservazione

Tendenza della popolazione

stable