Daurian jackdaw facts for kids
The Daurian jackdaw is a cool bird that belongs to the crow family, called Corvidae. It lives in eastern Asia and is a close cousin to the western jackdaw. Its name comes from the Dauria region in eastern Russia.
Quick facts for kids Daurian jackdaw |
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| Near Beijing, China | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Coloeus
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| Species: |
dauuricus
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| Daurian jackdaw range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Corvus dauuricus Pallas, 1776 |
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Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Daurian jackdaw is about 32 centimeters (12.5 inches) long. This makes it about the same size as, or a little smaller than, its cousin, the western jackdaw. They also act very much alike.
The main difference is their feathers!
- Many adult Daurian jackdaws have creamy white feathers on their belly.
- This white color goes up around their neck, forming a wide collar.
- Their head, throat, wings, and tail are shiny black.
- The feathers near their ears are a grayish color.
Darker adults and young birds look a lot like western jackdaws. But you can tell them apart because Daurian jackdaws have black eyes. Western jackdaws have cool gray-white eyes.
There's another black and white crow in the same area called the Chinese collared crow. But don't get them mixed up! The collared crow is much bigger, about the size of a carrion crow.
Where Do They Live?
Daurian jackdaws live in many places across Asia.
- You can find them from southern eastern Siberia down to Mongolia.
- They also live in most parts of China.
- In the northern parts of their home, they fly south for the winter. This is called bird migration.
Sometimes, they visit other countries:
- They are rare visitors to Korea in winter.
- They are also rare winter visitors to Japan.
- Very rarely, they might show up in Taiwan.
- There have even been a few times they were seen in Western Europe!
These birds like to live in open woodlands, river valleys, and open hills and mountains.
How Do They Behave?
Daurian jackdaws are very friendly birds. They often hang out with other birds, especially rooks.
What Do They Eat?
Their diet is similar to the western jackdaw's. They eat many different things, such as:
- Grains from farms
- Insects
- Berries
- Eggs
- Dead animals (carrion)
- And even animal waste!
How Do They Raise Their Young?
Daurian jackdaws like to build their nests in places like:
- Holes in trees
- Cracks in rocks
- And old, ruined buildings.
If they can't find these spots, they will build nests in trees. Their eggs look similar to the eggs of the western jackdaw.
