© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Gambia • Feb 2013

Bird name: Pied Crow
Latin: Corvus albus
Other: Corbeau pie (Fr)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

The Pied Crow is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In Gambia, they were seen in most locations, often flying overhead, or mobbing raptors, but they usually kept their distance.

Alexia W, Pied Crows on the river bank, Kinshasa, DRC
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© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved • Gambia • Feb 2013

Bird name: Piapiac
Latin: Ptilostomus afer
Other: Piapiac africain (Fr)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range: E, C, W Africa
Similar:

There was a good group of Piapiacs coming in to the water pots at Marakissa River Camp. Video below. Also seen elsewhere.

Adult Piapiacs are all black crows with long tails - juveniles have red bills.


Below, juvenile Piapiac taking a bath, Marakissa river Camp, Gambia, Feb 2013


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Copyright: RN/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Iguazu, July 2010

Bird name: Plush Crested Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax chrysops
Other: Urraca de cresta alborotada (Es) • Gralha-de-crista-negra (Br)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, NE Argentina, Pantanal.
Similar:

A beautiful Plush-crested Jay on the Argentinian side of Iguazu falls. Bluish black upperside and yellow belly.
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© monacoeye • Alpes Maritimes, France, October 2012 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Red Billed Chough
Latin: Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Other: Chough (UK)• Crave à bec rouge (Fr) • Chova piquirroja (Es) • Gracchio corallino (It) • Alpenkrähe (De), Gralha-de-bico-vermelho (Pt)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Choughs
Range: Ireland, UK, Portugal, Spain, Fance, Italy, Balkans, Greece, Turkey, N Africa. Mid East to Himalayas, China
Similar: Alpine Chough

The Red-billed Chough is not common in central Europe but can be found in scattered populations.

A large group was seen in the winter in the Gorges du Verdon, 1200m alt, where they live on the vertical walls of the gorge. Also a few in the Mercantour, 2200m alt. October, alongside Alpine Chough.

The range of the Chough extends from Spain to the eastern Himalayas, with a few colonies in Africa.

Choughs are typically high mountain birds, but will breed on steep rock walls even on the coast.

They can be distinguished from the similar Alpine Chough by their long, thin, curved red (not short, yellow) bills, though juvenile Choughs have yellowish bills. Feet are red.

Below, Red-billed Chough in Mercantour, October.
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© monacoeye • France, October 2012 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Northern Raven
Latin: Corvus corax
Other: Common Raven, Raven • Grand Corbeau (Fr) • Kolkrabe (De) • cuervo común, cacalote (Es) • Corvo imperiale (It) • Raaf (Nl) • Korp (Nl) • Corvo-comum (Pt)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Ravens
Range: Widespread North America, Middle America, Eurasia, Iceland
Similar: Carrion Crow

The Northern Raven is a large bird - the size of a medium to large bird of prey. In flight, the pointed tail and long pointed wings distinguish it from the Carrion Crow, which has a square-cut tail and squarer wings. The Raven has a very heavy bill.

There are no crows on Iceland - the bird pictured below must be a Raven. Possibly Corvus corax varius, the Icelandic subspecies, which has whitish feathers on the neck.

Below, Northern Raven in Iceland, May 2011.
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© monacoeye • Alpes Maritimes, France, October 2012 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Alpine Chough
Latin: Pyrrhocorax graculus
Other: Yellow-billed Chough • Chocard à bec jaune (Fr) • Chova piquigualda (Es) • Gracchio alpino (It) • Alpendohle (De)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Choughs
Range: Spain, Fance, Italy, Switzerland, Balkans, Greece, Turkey, N Africa. Mid East, Himalayas
Similar: Red-billed Chough

Record shot of an Alpine Chough which I saw with a few Red-billed Choughs in the Alpes Maritimes in southeast France at 2200m altitude.

The range of the Chough extends, in isolated populations, from Spain to the Himalayas, where it lives at very high altitudes.

Alpine Choughs have shorter and yellower bills than Red-billed Choughs. Feet are red.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Mercantour, July.

Bird name: Spotted Nutcracker
Latin: Nucifraga caryocatactes
Other: Nutcracker • Casse-noix moucheté (Fr) • Tannenhäher (De) • nocciolaia (It) • Nötkråka (Sv)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Nutcrackers
Range: Europe (Alps mostly) to Japan.
Similar:

Another new local bird for me this summer, the Spotted Nutcracker. We saw these attractive birds regularly in July and August in Mercantour forests between 1500 and 2500 m.

Inquisitive and intelligent, often in pairs like the Jay. Repopulates deforested areas with new trees by hiding (and “forgetting”) seeds in the ground.

The white vent is a good identifying feature. Call is similar to Jay.

Below, Spotted Nutcracker, July.

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Pantanal, Brazil • Aug 2011

Bird name: Purplish Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax cyanomelas
Other: Gralha-cinza, gralha-do-pantanal (Br)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Central S America, Pantanal: Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay
Similar:

The Purplish Jay was seen fairly frequently on my trip to the Pantanal in August. One of the first birds to be seen around the compound at Curicaca Lodge, then again drinking water at a drying pool at Pousada Alegre (above).

The Purplish Jay appears mostly dark, blackish around the head, with purplish tinge only apparent in some lights. Not too shy, will visit feeders.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Chapada, Brazil • Aug 2011

Bird name: Curl Crested Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax cristatellus
Other: Gralha-do-campo (Br) • Urraca de cresta rizada (Es)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia - caatinga, cerrado
Similar:

I saw Curl Crested Jays on the edge of the cerrado, near buildings, on the Chapada das Guimaraes plateau. Unmistakable by its crest and loud call. Also seen flying across the cerrado in pairs.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Romania • May 2009

Bird name: Hooded Crow
Latin: Corvus cornix
Other: Cornacchia grigia (It)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range:
Similar:

The Hooded Crow replaces the all-black Carrion Crow in Eastern Europe, Ireland and northern Scotland. These crows are often thought of as the same species but here treated separately.

The Hooded Crow is common in the Danube Delta in Romania (pictured here), and often seen in fields etc, like the Carrion Crow.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Guango, Ecuador, Feb 2011

Bird name: Turquoise Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax turcosa
Other: Urraca Turquesa (Es)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Southern Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Similar: Black-collared Jay, Beautiful Jay

Turquoise Jays are the most visible large bird around Guango Lodge in Ecuador. They come close to the lodge in the morning and feast on the insects attracted by the night lights.

They have an electric blue plumage under flash, and are bright cobalt blue in normal light, with black eyemask and thin chinstrap - unlike the rarer Black-collared Jay which has a thick chin strap.

They live at altitude - 2 to 3 thousand metres - so higher than Inca Jays, though their ranges overlap a little at Guango.

One also seen in Bellavista.

Below, a Turquoise Jay at Guango Lodge in Ecuador. Copyright: monacoeye.comMore photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • San Isidro, Ecuador, Feb 2011

Bird name: Inca Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax yncas
Other: Urraca Inca (Es)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Green Jay

A stunning Inca Jay at the San Isidro Lodge in Ecuador, where they were much in evidence, especially in the morning, feeding on the insects attracted by the lights at night.

Inca Jays have recently been split from the Green Jay - their northern counterpart.

In addition to their beautiful plumage, Inca Jays have a wonderful repertoire of different noises and calls. They tend to move around in groups.

In Ecuador they’re found in the highlands of the east slope of the Andes and are unmistakable.

Below, an Inca Jay at San Isidro Lodge in Ecuador.
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Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • nr Tena, Ecuador, Feb 2011

Bird name: Violaceous Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax violaceus
Other: Urraca Violácea (Es) • Gralha-violácea (Br)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana
Similar:

A couple of record shots of a Violaceous Jay we saw when driving back to Quito from the Oriente near Tena. I didn’t recognise it as a jay at the time - it’s larger than the Inca Jay.

On the photo below though you can see the characteristic white nape. Violaceous Jays are found in Ecuador only in Amazonia, so the road near Tena is at the edge of its range. This was the only individual I saw.

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Zanzibar • Oct 2009

Bird name: House Crow
Latin: Corvus splendens
Other: Colombo Crow • Huiskraai (NL)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range:
Similar:

The House Crow is originally from Asia, widespread from Iran to Thailand, but was introduced to Zanzibar, in the 19th century.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: France • 2009

Bird name: Carrion Crow
Latin: Corvus corone
Other: Corneille noire (Fr)
Family: Corvidae • Crows
Range:
Similar:

It’s generally difficult to distinguish the Carrion Crow from other similar corvids, such as the juvenile Rook. The Carrion Crow has a more rounded bill than the juvenile Rook. The adult Rook has a bare base to its bill.

The Raven is a larger version of the Carrion Crow - though to be honest the photo above (taken in the Camargue) looks rather raven-like to me - and the bird seemed very large when I photographed it.

The Hooded Crow, which substitutes the Carrion Crow in Eastern Europe and Ireland, is often thought to be a subspecies of Carrion Crow. In addition to Western Europe, the Carrion Crow is also found throughout Northeast Asia.

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Photos copyright: monacoeye • Ile St Honorat, France • Mar 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Western Jackdaw
Latin: Corvus monedula
Other: Choucas des Tours (Fr)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jackdaws
Range:
Similar:

The Jackdaw is fond of ruins and bell towers, so was at home in this ruined monastic fortress, built in 1073, on the Ile Saint Honorat.More photos...

160 Corvidae - Crows, Jays, Magpies, Choughs, Ravens - IOC 2.5 2010

Platylophus galericulatus - Crested Jay - Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Borneo

Platysmurus leucopterus - Black Magpie - Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo

Perisoreus infaustus - Siberian Jay - N Eurasia
Perisoreus internigrans - Sichuan Jay - WC China
Perisoreus canadensis - Grey Jay - N North America

Cyanolyca armillata - Black-collared Jay - Venezuela to Ecuador
Cyanolyca viridicyanus - White-collared Jay - Peru, Bolivia
Cyanolyca turcosa - Turquoise Jay - S Colombia, N Peru
Cyanolyca pulchra - Beautiful Jay - Colombia, Ecuador, N Peru
Cyanolyca cucullata - Azure-hooded Jay - Widespread Middle America
Cyanolyca pumilo - Black-throated Jay - S Mexico to NW Honduras
Cyanolyca nana - Dwarf Jay - SW Mexico
Cyanolyca mirabilis - White-throated Jay - SW Mexico
Cyanolyca argentigula - Silvery-throated Jay - Costa Rica, Panama

Cyanocorax melanocyaneus - Bushy-crested Jay - Guatemala to Nicaragua
Cyanocorax sanblasianus - San Blas Jay - W Mexico
Cyanocorax yucatanicus - Yucatan Jay - Yucatan Peninsula
Cyanocorax beecheii - Purplish-backed Jay - NW Mexico
Cyanocorax violaceus - Violaceous Jay - W Amazonia
Cyanocorax caeruleus - Azure Jay - SE South America
Cyanocorax cyanomelas - Purplish Jay - SC South America
Cyanocorax cristatellus - Curl-crested Jay - SE South America
Cyanocorax dickeyi - Tufted Jay - W Mexico
Cyanocorax affinis - Black-chested Jay - Costa Rica to NW Venezuela
Cyanocorax mystacalis - White-tailed Jay - SW Ecuador, NW Peru
Cyanocorax cayanus - Cayenne Jay - N Amazonia
Cyanocorax heilprini - Azure-naped Jay - NW Amazonia
Cyanocorax chrysops - Plush-crested Jay - SC, E South America
Cyanocorax cyanopogon - White-naped Jay - E Brazil
Cyanocorax luxuosus - Green Jay - S Texas to Honduras
Cyanocorax yncas - Inca Jay - Venezuela to Bolivia

Psilorhinus morio - Brown Jay - Widespread Middle America, also S Texas

Calocitta colliei - Black-throated Magpie-Jay - W Mexico
Calocitta formosa - White-throated Magpie-Jay - S Mexico to Costa Rica

Cyanocitta cristata - Blue Jay - C, E North America
Cyanocitta stelleri - Steller's Jay - W North America, Middle America

Aphelocoma ultramarina - Mexican Jay - SW USA to S Mexico
Aphelocoma unicolor - Unicolored Jay - C Mexico to W Honduras
Aphelocoma californica - California Scrub Jay - Washington state to Baja California
Aphelocoma woodhouseii - Woodhouse's Scrub Jay - NW USA (Oregon, Idaho) south to Guerrero and C,E Oaxaca
Aphelocoma insularis - Island Scrub Jay - Santa Cruz Island
Aphelocoma coerulescens - Florida Scrub Jay - Florida

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus - Pinyon Jay - W North America

Garrulus glandarius - Eurasian Jay - Widespread Eurasia, Asia, also NW Africa
Garrulus lanceolatus - Black-headed Jay - C, SC Eurasia
Garrulus lidthi - Lidth's Jay - Ryukyu Islands

Cyanopica cyanus - Azure-winged Magpie - E, C Asia
Cyanopica cooki - Iberian Magpie - Iberian Peninsula

Urocissa ornata - Sri Lanka Blue Magpie - Sri Lanka
Urocissa caerulea - Taiwan Blue Magpie - Taiwan
Urocissa flavirostris - Yellow-billed Blue Magpie - Himalayas
Urocissa erythrorhyncha - Red-billed Blue Magpie - Himalayas, Southeast Asia
Urocissa whiteheadi - White-winged Magpie - Southeast Asia

Cissa chinensis - Common Green Magpie - Widespread Asia
Cissa hypoleuca - Indochinese Green Magpie - Southeast Asia
Cissa thalassina - Short-tailed Green Magpie - Java, Borneo

Dendrocitta vagabunda - Rufous Treepie - Widespread Asia
Dendrocitta occipitalis - Sumatran Treepie - Sumatra
Dendrocitta cinerascens - Bornean Treepie - Borneo
Dendrocitta formosae - Grey Treepie - Widespread Asia
Dendrocitta leucogastra - White-bellied Treepie - SW India
Dendrocitta frontalis - Collared Treepie - N India to NW Vietnam
Dendrocitta bayleyi - Andaman Treepie - Andaman Islands

Crypsirina temia - Racket-tailed Treepie - Burma to Java
Crypsirina cucullata - Hooded Treepie - Burma

Temnurus temnurus - Ratchet-tailed Treepie - Southeast Asia

Pica pica - Eurasian Magpie - Widespread Eurasia, also NW Africa
Pica hudsonia - Black-billed Magpie - W North America
Pica nuttalli - Yellow-billed Magpie - California

Zavattariornis stresemanni - Stresemann's Bush Crow - Ethiopia

Podoces hendersoni - Henderson's Ground Jay - C Asia
Podoces biddulphi - Biddulph's Ground Jay - NW China
Podoces panderi - Pander's Ground Jay - SC Asia
Podoces pleskei - Pleske's Ground Jay - Iran

Nucifraga columbiana - Clark's Nutcracker - W North America
Nucifraga caryocatactes - Spotted Nutcracker - Widespread Eurasia
Nucifraga multipunctata - Large-spotted Nutcracker - W Himalayas

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax - Red-billed Chough - Widespread Eurasia, also NW, NE Africa
Pyrrhocorax graculus - Alpine Chough - S, SC, Eurasia, also N Africa

Ptilostomus afer - Piapiac - E, C, W Africa

Coloeus monedula - Western Jackdaw - C, W, SW, Eurasia, also N Africa
Coloeus dauuricus - Daurian Jackdaw - E, EC Eurasia

Corvus splendens - House Crow - NW India through SW Thailand
Corvus moneduloides - New Caledonian Crow - New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands
Corvus unicolor - Banggai Crow - E Sulawesi
Corvus enca - Slender-billed Crow - Malaysia to Borneo, Philippines, Asia, also Sulawesi
Corvus violaceus - Violet Crow - Seram
Corvus typicus - Piping Crow - Sulawesi
Corvus florensis - Flores Crow - Lesser Sundas
Corvus kubaryi - Mariana Crow - Mariana Islands
Corvus validus - Long-billed Crow - N, C Moluccas
Corvus woodfordi - White-billed Crow - Solomon Islands
Corvus meeki - Bougainville Crow - Solomon Islands
Corvus fuscicapillus - Brown-headed Crow - New Guinea
Corvus tristis - Grey Crow - New Guinea
Corvus capensis - Cape Crow - NE, E, S Africa
Corvus frugilegus - Rook - Widespread Eurasia
Corvus brachyrhynchos - American Crow - Widespread North America
Corvus caurinus - Northwestern Crow - NW North America
Corvus imparatus - Tamaulipas Crow - NE Mexico and S Texas
Corvus sinaloae - Sinaloa Crow - NW Mexico
Corvus ossifragus - Fish Crow - E, SE USA
Corvus palmarum - Hispaniolan Palm Crow - Hispaniola
Corvus minutus - Cuban Palm Crow - Cuba
Corvus jamaicensis - Jamaican Crow - Jamaica
Corvus nasicus - Cuban Crow - Cuba, Caicos Islands
Corvus leucognaphalus - White-necked Crow - Hispaniola, Puerto Rico
Corvus hawaiiensis - Hawaiian Crow - Hawaiian Islands
Corvus corone - Carrion Crow - N, SW, E Eurasia
Corvus cornix - Hooded Crow - C, S Eurasia
Corvus torquatus - Collared Crow - E, C China, N Vietnam
Corvus macrorhynchos - Large-billed Crow - E Eurasia Eurasia, Asia, also C, S Malay Peninsula, Sundas, Philippines
Corvus levaillantii - Eastern Jungle Crow - N India to N Malay Peninsula
Corvus culminatus - Indian Jungle Crow - Peninsular India, Sri Lanka
Corvus orru - Torresian Crow - Widespread Australasia
Corvus insularis - Bismarck Crow - Bismarck Archipelago
Corvus bennetti - Little Crow - W, C Australia
Corvus tasmanicus - Forest Raven - SE Australia
Corvus mellori - Little Raven - SE Australia
Corvus coronoides - Australian Raven - Australia
Corvus albus - Pied Crow - Widespread Africa
Corvus ruficollis - Brown-necked Raven - S Eurasia
Corvus edithae - Somali Crow - N Africa
Corvus corax - Northern Raven - Widespread North America, Middle America, Eurasia
Corvus cryptoleucus - Chihuahuan Raven - SW USA to N Mexico
Corvus rhipidurus - Fan-tailed Raven - E, C, W Africa, SW Europe
Corvus albicollis - White-necked Raven - E, S Africa
Corvus crassirostris - Thick-billed Raven - NE Africa