Coloeus dauuricus
The Daurian Jackdaw, *Coloeus dauuricus*, is a striking medium-sized corvid, typically measuring 32-34 cm (12.5-13.5 inches) in length with a wingspan of approximately 65-75 cm (25-29 inches) and weighing 170-250 grams. It is renowned for its distinctive bicolored plumage, particularly in its 'light-naped' morph, which features a glossy black head and face contrasting sharply with a silvery-white nape, neck sides, and underparts, while the back, wings, and tail remain black. A less common 'da...
Daurian Jackdaws inhabit open woodlands, farmlands, steppe grasslands, and urban areas, often near cliffs or old buildings for nesting. They thrive from lowlands up to moderate elevations in mountainous regions.
An opportunistic omnivore, Daurian Jackdaws feed on a wide variety of insects (beetles, grasshoppers), seeds (grains), fruits, carrion, eggs, and small vertebrates, often foraging on the ground.
Daurian Jackdaws are highly gregarious and diurnal, often forming large flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes numbering in the thousands and mixing with Rooks (*Corvus frugilegus*). They forage primarily on the ground, employing a walk-and-peck strategy, but also glean from vegetation and...
The Daurian Jackdaw's breeding range extends across the Eastern Palearctic, encompassing southern Siberia, Mongolia, northern and northeastern China, and the Korean Peninsula. Its western breeding extent reaches the Altai Mountains, stretching eastward through Transbaikalia to the Russian Far Eas...
Least Concern
- The scientific name *dauuricus* refers to Dauria, a historical region in Transbaikalia, Russia, where the species was first described. - It is one of only two species in the genus *Coloeus*, the other being the Eurasian Jackdaw, with which it shares many behavioral traits. - The striking 'light...