Daurian Jackdaw
Encyclopedia
The Daurian Jackdaw is a member of the Corvidae
or crow
family of bird
s. It is closely related to the Eurasian Jackdaw
. The name derives from the Dauria region of eastern Russia.
It is the same size or perhaps slightly smaller (32 cm in length) than the latter species, with the same proportions and identical habits. The principal difference is its plumage
; many but not all adults of this species have large areas of creamy white on the lower parts extending up around the neck as a thick collar. The head, throat, wings and tail are glossy black and the ear coverts are grizzled grey. Darker adults and young birds resemble Eurasian Jackdaws, though Daurian Jackdaws have a black iris, unlike the distinctive grey-white iris of the Eurasian Jackdaw.
, south to Mongolia
and down into all 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 but yearly winter visitor to Japan
, and vagrant to Taiwan
. There are a mere handful of records from Western Europe
It inhabits open woodland, river valley and open hills and mountains. Very sociable and often found in association with rook
s. 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
(C. corone) confusion is unlikely to occur.
Corvidae
Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
or crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
family of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. It is closely related to the Eurasian Jackdaw
Jackdaw
The Jackdaw , sometimes known as the Eurasian Jackdaw, European Jackdaw or Western Jackdaw, is a passerine bird in the crow family. Found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa, it is mostly sedentary, although northern and eastern populations migrate south in winter. Four subspecies are...
. The name derives from the Dauria region of eastern Russia.
It is the same size or perhaps slightly smaller (32 cm in length) than the latter species, with the same proportions and identical habits. The principal difference is its plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
; many but not all adults of this species have large areas of creamy white on the lower parts extending up around the neck as a thick collar. The head, throat, wings and tail are glossy black and the ear coverts are grizzled grey. Darker adults and young birds resemble Eurasian Jackdaws, though Daurian Jackdaws have a black iris, unlike the distinctive grey-white iris of the Eurasian Jackdaw.
Distribution and habitat
This species occurs from the more southerly part of eastern SiberiaSiberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, south to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
and down into all of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In the north of its range it migrates
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
further south during the winter. It is a scarce winter visitor to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, a rare but yearly winter visitor to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and vagrant to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. There are a mere handful of records from Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
It inhabits open woodland, river valley and open hills and mountains. Very sociable and often found in association with rook
Rook (bird)
The Rook is a member of the Corvidae family in the passerine order of birds. Named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, the species name frugilegus is Latin for "food-gathering"....
s. The only other pied corvid species inhabiting the same region is the Chinese Collared Crow
Collared Crow
The Collared Crow , also known as the Ring-necked Crow or White-collared Crow, is a member of the Corvidae family native to China.-Description:...
(Corvus torquatus) but as this is a much larger bird (about the same size or slightly larger than the Carrion Crow
Carrion Crow
The Carrion Crow is a member of the passerine order of birds and the crow family which is native to western Europe and eastern Asia.-Taxonomy:...
(C. corone) confusion is unlikely to occur.
