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BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE

IDENTIFICATION: A pigeon-sized, crowlike bird with striking iridescent, black-and-white plumage and a long, greenish purple tail. DISTRIBUTION: Eurasia, North Africa, western North America. HABITAT: Woodland, scrub, grassland, savanna. STUDY AREAS: Haren, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, the Netherlands; subspecies P.p. pica.

JACKDAW

IDENTIFICATION: A small crow with black plumage and gray on the back of the head. DISTRIBUTION: Eurasia, North Africa. HABITAT: Forest, grassland, farmland. STUDY AREAS: Haren, the Netherlands; Max-Planck Institute; subspecies C.m. spermologus.

RAVEN

IDENTIFICATION: A large (2 foot), all-black bird similar to a crow but much bulkier. DISTRIBUTION: Eurasia, North America. HABITAT: Varied, including forest, plains, desert. STUDY AREA: Max-Planck Institute; subspecies C.c. corax.

Social Organization

All three of these Crow species are quite gregarious, often associating in flocks and communal roosts. Individuals generally form long-term mated pairs, and Jackdaws usually nest in colonies. Magpies sometimes participate in remarkable group displays known as CEREMONIAL GATHERINGS, noisy aggregations that may be related to territory acquisition.

Description