Daurian Jackdaw

Coloeus dauuricus - Choucas de Daourie

Systematics
  • Order 
    :

    Passeriformes

  • Family
    :

    Corvidés

  • Genus
    :

    Coloeus

  • Species
    :

    dauuricus

Descriptor

Pallas, 1776

Biometrics
  • Size
    : 36 cm
  • Wingspan
    : -
  • Weight
    : 110 à 275 g
Geographic range

Distribution

Identification

Choucas de Daourie
adult
Choucas de Daourie
immature

Also called the Daurian Jackdaw, the Daurian Jackdaw is part of the corvid family. Its name comes from the Dauria region to the east of Russia. It is the same size, or slightly smaller, than the Carrion Crow. Its proportions and habits are also the same. However, it differs in its plumage. Many adults (but not all) have a creamy white chest, belly and nape. The white of the nape joins that of the chest forming a wide collar. The head, back, throat, wings, tail, ventral and under-tail are shiny black. A tinged gray area is visible at the back of the eye. Adults entirely black and juveniles are distinguished from the Carrion Crow by the black color of their iris (the Carrion Crow has a light gray iris).
The collared crow is the only other corvid species, sharing the same territory, which is bicolor, but its much larger size makes confusion with the Daurian Jackdaw unlikely.

Subspecific information monotypic species

Foreign names

  • Choucas de Daourie,
  • Grajilla oriental,
  • gralha-dáurica,
  • Elsterdohle,
  • örvös csóka,
  • Daurische Kauw,
  • Taccola della Dauria,
  • klippkaja,
  • Mongolkaie,
  • kavka strakatá,
  • kavka východní,
  • Sibirisk Allike,
  • idännaakka,
  • gralla oriental,
  • Hringkráka,
  • kawka srokata,
  • Daurijas kovārnis,
  • stepska kavka,
  • Даурская галка,
  • コクマルガラス,
  • 达乌里寒鸦,
  • 達烏里寒鴉〔東方寒鴉〕,

Voice song and cries

Choucas de Daourie
Second

The Daurian Jackdaw is quite noisy. Its alarm and contact call is reasonably short. Usually an urgent kiak repeated and sometimes harsher, or a more drawn out kiaar. Sat perched, they can chat away quite peacefully.

Habitat

Choucas de Daourie
adult plum. breeding

The Daurian Jackdaw lives in open woods and on cultivated lands of valleys, hills or mountains.

Behaviour character trait

It is a very sociable and gregarious bird, often in association in the winter with other corvids. Roosts can gather several hundreds of individuals. It nests in small colonies and couples are united for life.

Flight

Choucas de Daourie
adult

The flight of the Daurian Jackdaw is direct. The wingbeats are faster than in other corvids.

Dietfeeding habits

The Daurian Jackdaw is omnivorous with a preference for plants. Its food is practically identical to that of the Common Jackdaw. It includes cereals, insects, berries and animal droppings. It does not disdain worms and snails.

Reproduction nesting

Choucas de Daourie
Second

The Daurian Jackdaw is a cave-dweller. It nests in the crevices, which are well hidden, of trees or in the cavities of cliffs and ruined buildings.

Choucas de Daourie
immature
Its very basic nest consists of a pile of twigs, grasses, horse hair, wool, feathers, and various materials taken from human activities. The two parents help with its construction. The nesting period occurs between April and June. The female lays 3 to 7 eggs which look just like those of the Carrion Crow. Incubation lasts between 16 and 18 days and the two parents take part in the feeding. The young ones take flight after a month.

Geographic range

Choucas de Daourie
adult

Daurian Jackdaw can be found east of Asia, south of Siberia, in Mongolia, in central and northern China and in southeastern Tibet. It winters further south, in Southern Russia, in southern China, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands and in Japan.

Threats - protection

Choucas de Daourie
adult plum. breeding
IUCN conservation status
Extinct
Threatened
Least
concern
Extinc
in the Wild
Near
threatened
Not
evaluated
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

The Convention of Berne, Annexe III, protection of the Daurian Jackdaw (Choucas de Daourie).

Sources of information

Other sources of interest

QRcode Choucas de DaourieSpecification sheet created on 03/08/2023 by
Translation by AI Oiseaux.net
published: - Updated: 11-02-2009
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