The Zoochat Photographic Guide To Corvids

TeaLovingDave said:
Gymnorhinus


Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)

The range of this species extends throughout western and central USA and northwest Mexico, from central Oregon in the north to the extreme northwest Baja California, and east as far as Montana and New Mexico.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.
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Click to expand...

Worth noting that there *are* photographs in the gallery of an exhibit for Pinyon Jay at Phoenix Zoo in 2010 - merely none of the inhabitants ;)

On the off-chance that photos were uploaded but lost in the Great Purge - or merely not uploaded - I reach out to the following:

@snowleopard
@geomorph
@Blackduiker

Of course, if anyone else has photographs of this species wild or captive they would be more than welcome :)
 
Aphelocoma


Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor)

The range of this species extends patchily throughout Central America, from Hidalgo in east Mexico, south through Honduras and El Salvador to the extreme north of Nicaragua.

Five subspecies recognised:

A. u. concolor
A. u. guerrerensis
A. u. oaxacae
A. u. unicolor
A. u. griscomi

No photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.


Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi)

The range of this species extends from southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico, south throughout Mexico as far as Hidalgo and San Luis Potosi.

Four subspecies recognised:

A. w. arizonae - photo by @Ituri

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A. w. wollweberi
A. w. couchii
A. w. potosina


Ultramarine Jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina)

The range of this species is restricted to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

Two subspecies recognised:

A. u. colimae
A. u. ultramarina - photo by @vogelcommando

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Florida Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

The range of this species is patchily distributed throughout Peninsular Florida.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Maguari

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Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)

The range of this species extends throughout western North America into Central America, from the northwest USA in the north, through the southwest USA and northern Mexico, to Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

Fifteen subspecies recognised:

A. c. immanis - photo by @Ituri

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A. c. caurina
A. c. oocleptica - photo by @Great Argus

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A. c. californica
A. c. obscura - photo by @jayjds2

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A. c. cana
A. c. hypoleuca
A. c. insularis
A. c. nevadae - photo by @Ituri

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A. c. woodhouseii - photo by @Kakapo

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A. c. texana
A. c. grisea
A. c. cyanotis
A. c. sumichrasti
A. c. remota
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TeaLovingDave said:
Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)

The range of this species extends throughout western North America into Central America, from the northwest USA in the north, through the southwest USA and northern Mexico, to Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

Fifteen subspecies recognised:

A. c. immanis
A. c. caurina
A. c. oocleptica - photo by @Great Argus

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A. c. californica
A. c. obscura - photo by @jayjds2

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A. c. cana
A. c. hypoleuca
A. c. insularis
A. c. nevadae - photo by @Ituri

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A. c. woodhouseii - photo by @Kakapo

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A. c. texana
A. c. grisea
A. c. cyanotis
A. c. sumichrasti
A. c. remota
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As you are probably aware, many taxonomists split this taxon into three species:

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma woodhouseii
California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
Island Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma insularis
 
Cyanocitta


Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

The range of this species extends throughout central and eastern North America, from eastern British Columbia in the west to Newfoundland in the east, and south through the Midwest and east coast to southeast Texas and Florida.

Four subspecies recognised:

C. c. bromia - photo by @gulogulogulo

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C. c. cyanotephra - photo by @KCZooFan

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C. c. cristata - photo by @Maguari

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C. c. semplei - photo by @Ituri

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Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

The range of this species extends throughout western North America and Central America, from southern Alaska in the north, through the Pacific coastline of Canada and the northwest USA to northern and central California in the south, and inland along the Rocky Mountains from southwest Alberta in the north to central Mexico in the south, and from here into southern Mexico and Central America as far east as the highlands of northern Nicaragua.

Sixteen subspecies recognised:

C. s. stelleri - photo by @Newzooboy

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C. s. carlotta
C. s. frontalis - photo by @Great Argus

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C. s. carbonacea
C. s. annectens - photo by @Ituri

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C. s. macrolopha - photo by @ThylacineAlive

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C. s. diademata
C. s. phillipsi
C. s. purpurea
C. s. coronata
C. s. azteca
C. s. teotepecensis
C. s. restricta
C. s. ridgwayi
C. s. lazula
C. s. suavis
.
 
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birdsandbats said:
As you are probably aware, many taxonomists split this taxon into three species:

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma woodhouseii
California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
Island Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma insularis
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Indeed - in point of fact I personally do so too, but for the sake of consistency I am keeping to the taxonomy laid forth within HBW as noted at the start of the thread.

Similarly, this thread lumps Hooded and Carrion Crow as this is the taxonomy followed by HBW, even though I personally split the two species on my lifelist.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Indeed - in point of fact I personally do so too, but for the sake of consistency I am keeping to the taxonomy laid forth within HBW as noted at the start of the thread.

Similarly, this thread lumps Hooded and Carrion Crow as this is the taxonomy followed by HBW, even though I personally split the two species on my lifelist.
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I am surprised HBW recognizes Northwestern Crow as distinct from American Crow, but not the scrub-jay split. The crow is extremely difficult to separate, the jays much less so. Other factors weighing in as well:

"This long-anticipated split has finally happened. The two “new” species barely overlap in range. A recent study states that the only place this seems to happen regularly is the Pine Nut Mountains of Storey County, Nevada, and that hybridization is limited to this very small area; however, local birders report overlap in Reno, as well. Limited hybridization in addition to consistent differences in voice, habitat, behavior, and morphology, was enough to tip the scales toward a split." Quoting the ABA blog, regarding the AOU's decision in 2016

The scrub-jays split as California, Woodhouse's, Island, and Florida seem to have been widely accepted (and indeed anticipated due to range and morphology) so far as I have seen.
 
Great Argus said:
"This long-anticipated split has finally happened. The two “new” species barely overlap in range. A recent study states that the only place this seems to happen regularly is the Pine Nut Mountains of Storey County, Nevada, and that hybridization is limited to this very small area; however, local birders report overlap in Reno, as well. Limited hybridization in addition to consistent differences in voice, habitat, behavior, and morphology, was enough to tip the scales toward a split." Quoting the ABA blog, regarding the AOU's decision in 2016.
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Curiously enough, the text regarding these taxa on HBW states that there is little-to-no difference in voice between them - but the last revision to this entry is noted as dating to 2013, so it is possible new genetic and behavioural evidence has come to light subsequently.
 
Cyanocorax


Violaceous Jay (Cyanocorax violaceus)

The range of this species extends throughout northwest South America, from as far north as northern Venezuela, as far south as southeast Peru and northern Bolivia, and as far east as southwest Guyana and northern Brazil.

Two subspecies recognised:

C. v. pallidus
C. v. violaceus - photo by @devilfish

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Purplish Jay (Cyanocorax cyanomelas)

The range of this species extends throughout central South America, from southeast Peru through northern Bolivia into southwest Brazil, and south through Paraguay to northern Argentina.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Hongabonga

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Curl-crested Jay (Cyanocorax cristatellus)

The range of this species extends throughout south-central Brazil into adjacent northern Paraguay and eastern Bolivia.

Monotypic.

Photo by @devilfish

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Azure Jay (Cyanocorax coeruleus)

The range of this species extends throughout southern and southeast Brazil, and into adjacent Uruguay and Paraguay.

Monotypic.

Photo by @devilfish

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Brown Jay (Cyanocorax morio)

The range of this species extends from the extreme south of the USA in the north, and throughout Mexico into Central America as far south as western Panama.

Three subspecies recognised:

C. m. palliatus
C. m. morio - photo by @ralph

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C. m. vociferus


Black-throated Magpie-jay (Cyanocorax colliei)

The range of this species extends through the coastal northwest of Mexico, from southern Sonora to Colima.

Monotypic.

Photo by @devilfish

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White-throated Magpie-jay (Cyanocorax formosus)

The range of this species extends throughout the Pacific coastline of southwest Mexico and Central America, from Jalisco in Mexico to northwest Costa Rica.

Three subspecies recognised:

C. f. formosus - photo by @gentle lemur

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C. f. azureus
C. f. pompatus - photo by @Tomek

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Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas)

Thirteen subspecies recognised:

C. y. glaucescens
C. y. luxuosus - photo by @zoo_enthusiast

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C. y. speciosus
C. y. vividus
C. y. maya
C. y. cozumelae
C. y. centralis
C. y. confusus
C. y. galeatus - photo by @devilfish

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C. y. cyanodorsalis - photo by @devilfish

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C. y. guatimalensis
C. y. yncas - photo by @Vision

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C. y. longirostris


White-tailed Jay (Cyanocorax mystacalis)

The range of this species is restricted to southwest Ecuador and northwest Peru.

Monotypic.

Photo by @ThylacineAlive

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Tufted Jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi)

The range of this species is restricted to a short stretch of the Sierra Madre Occidental from southeast Sinaloa to southwest Durango.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.
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Black-chested Jay (Cyanocorax affinis)

The range of this species extends throughout southern Central America into northern South America, from southeast Costa Rica to north and northeast Colombia and northwest Venezuela.

Two subspecies recognised:

C. a. zeledoni
C. a. affinis - photo by @alexkant

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Azure-naped Jay (Cyanocorax heilprini)

The range of this species is restricted to a small area of northern South America, from southwest Venezuela and eastern Colombia to extreme northwest Brazil.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.


Campina Jay (Cyanocorax hafferi)

The range of this species is restricted to west-central Amazonian Brazil south of the Amazon, from the Purus to the Madeira.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.


White-naped Jay (Cyanocorax cyanopogon)

The range of this species extends throughout northern and eastern Brazil.

Monotypic.

Photo by @devilfish

full



Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops)

The range of this species extends from Bolivia and southwest Brazil in the north, through southeast Brazil and Paraguay, to northeast Argentina and Uruguay in the south; a disjunct population is present in central Amazonian Brazil.

Four subspecies recognised:

C. c. diesingii - photo by @fkalltheway

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C. c. insperatus
C. c. chrysops - photo by @gentle lemur

full


C. c. tucumanus - photo by @devilfish

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Cayenne Jay (Cyanocorax cayanus)

The range of this species extends from southeast Venezuela through the Guianas to northern Brazil.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.


Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus)

The range of this species extends throughout much of Central America, from southern Guatemala to northwest Nicaragua.

Two subspecies recognised:

C. m. melanocyaneus
C. m. chavezi

No photographs of this taxon exist in the Zoochat gallery.


Yucatan Jay (Cyanocorax yucatanicus)

The range of this species extends across the Yucatan Peninsula and adjacent areas of Mexico, and south into northern Belize and Guatemala.

Two subspecies recognised:

C. y. rivularis - photo by @AluxesBioparque

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C. y. yucatanicus - photo by @vogelcommando

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San Blas Jay (Cyanocorax sanblasianus)

The range of this species extends across the southwest coastline of Mexico, from Nayarit to Guerrero.

Two subspecies recognised:

C. s. nelsoni
C. s. sanblasianus

Photo by @Cephie

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Purplish-backed Jay (Cyanocorax beecheii)

The range of this species extends across the northwest Pacific coastline of Mexico, from southern Sonora to northern Nayarit.

Monotypic.

Photo by @alexkant

full

.
 
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TeaLovingDave said:
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)

The range of this species extends throughout Eurasia, from the British Isles and Iberian Peninsula in the west, through Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia and Siberia, to the Russian Far East, northeast China and Korean Peninsula in the east. An introduced population exists in New Zealand.

Two subspecies recognised:

C. f. frugilegus - photo by @Cassidy Casuar

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C. f. pastinator

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Does this population still exist?
 
And that's the Zoochat Photographic Guide to Corvids completed :)

Obviously, any subspecies which can be added will be very much more than welcome - and I certainly hope that we will have a good few more added in the coming days and/or weeks - but naturally the biggest priority will be hopefully filling gaps at species level!

There are actually rather fewer than one would think, given the number of species we are playing with, but here are the major gaps in the Zoochat gallery in terms of corvid species:


Malay Black Magpie (Platysmurus leucopterus)
-----
Hooded Treepie (Crypsirina cucullata)
-----
White-bellied Treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra)
Collared Treepie (Dendrocitta frontalis)
Andaman Treepie (Dendrocitta bayleii)
-----
White-winged Magpie (Urocissa xanthomelana)
Hainan Magpie (Urocissa whiteheadi)
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Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus)
Sichuan Jay (Perisoreus internigrans)
-----
Ethiopian Bushcrow (Zavattariornis stresemanni)
-----
Mongolian Ground-jay (Podoces hendersoni)
Xinjiang Ground-jay (Podoces biddulphi)
Turkestan Ground-jay (Podoces panderi)
Iranian Ground-jay (Podoces pleskei)
-----
Asir Magpie (Pica asirensis)
-----
Southern Nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila)
Large-spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga multipunctata)
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Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus)
Jamaican Crow (Corvus jamaicensis)
White-necked Crow (Corvus leucognaphalus)
Sinaloa Crow (Corvus sinaloae)
Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum)
Flores Crow (Corvus florensis)
Piping Crow (Corvus typicus)
Banggai Crow (Corvus unicolor)
Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca)
Violet Crow (Corvus violaceus)
Long-billed Crow (Corvus validus)
Bougainville Crow (Corvus meeki)
White-billed Crow (Corvus woodfordi)
Brown-headed Crow (Corvus fuscicapillus)
Grey Crow (Corvus tristis)
Bismarck Crow (Corvus insularis)
Little Crow (Corvus bennetti)
Little Raven (Corvus mellori)
Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus)
Mariana Crow (Corvus kubaryi)
-----
White-throated Jay (Cyanolyca mirabilis)
Dwarf Jay (Cyanolyca nanus)
Black-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo)
Silvery-throated Jay (Cyanolyca argentigula)
Beautiful Jay (Cyanolyca pulchra)
Azure-hooded Jay (Cyanolyca cucullata)
Quindio Jay (Cyanolyca quindiuna)
Black-collared Jay (Cyanolyca armillata)
White-collared Jay (Cyanolyca viridicyanus)
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Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)
-----
Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor)
-----
Tufted Jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi)
Azure-naped Jay (Cyanocorax heilprini)
Campina Jay (Cyanocorax hafferi)
Cayenne Jay (Cyanocorax cayanus)
Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus)


All in all, I reckon that having 79 out of 130 corvid species represented in the gallery is damn good :D but I am certain we can do better! Quite apart from anything else, I would be very much surprised if no one has photographs of at least one of the Ground-jays, the Pinyon Jay, the Siberian Jay and the three Australian natives we lack (Little Crow, Little Raven and Forest Raven). The Bushcrow might be a more distant hope, but one never knows.......
 
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TeaLovingDave said:
And that's the Zoochat Photographic Guide to Corvids completed :)

Obviously, any subspecies which can be added will be very much more than welcome - and I certainly hope that we will have a good few more added in the coming days and/or weeks - but naturally the biggest priority will be hopefully filling gaps at species level!

There are actually rather fewer than one would think, given the number of species we are playing with, but here are the major gaps in the Zoochat gallery in terms of corvid species:


Malay Black Magpie (Platysmurus leucopterus)
-----
Hooded Treepie (Crypsirina cucullata)
-----
White-bellied Treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra)
Collared Treepie (Dendrocitta frontalis)
Andaman Treepie (Dendrocitta bayleii)
-----
White-winged Magpie (Urocissa xanthomelana)
Hainan Magpie (Urocissa whiteheadi)
-----
Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus)
Sichuan Jay (Perisoreus internigrans)
-----
Ethiopian Bushcrow (Zavattariornis stresemanni)
-----
Mongolian Ground-jay (Podoces hendersoni)
Xinjiang Ground-jay (Podoces biddulphi)
Turkestan Ground-jay (Podoces panderi)
Iranian Ground-jay (Podoces pleskei)
-----
Asir Magpie (Pica asirensis)
-----
Southern Nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila)
Large-spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga multipunctata)
-----
Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus)
Jamaican Crow (Corvus jamaicensis)
White-necked Crow (Corvus leucognaphalus)
Sinaloa Crow (Corvus sinaloae)
Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum)
Flores Crow (Corvus florensis)
Piping Crow (Corvus typicus)
Banggai Crow (Corvus unicolor)
Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca)
Violet Crow (Corvus violaceus)
Long-billed Crow (Corvus validus)
Bougainville Crow (Corvus meeki)
White-billed Crow (Corvus woodfordi)
Brown-headed Crow (Corvus fuscicapillus)
Grey Crow (Corvus tristis)
Bismarck Crow (Corvus insularis)
Little Crow (Corvus bennetti)
Little Raven (Corvus mellori)
Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus)
Mariana Crow (Corvus kubaryi)
-----
White-throated Jay (Cyanolyca mirabilis)
Dwarf Jay (Cyanolyca nanus)
Black-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo)
Silvery-throated Jay (Cyanolyca argentigula)
Beautiful Jay (Cyanolyca pulchra)
Azure-hooded Jay (Cyanolyca cucullata)
Quindio Jay (Cyanolyca quindiuna)
Black-collared Jay (Cyanolyca armillata)
White-collared Jay (Cyanolyca viridicyanus)
-----
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)
-----
Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor)
-----
Tufted Jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi)
Azure-naped Jay (Cyanocorax heilprini)
Campina Jay (Cyanocorax hafferi)
Cayenne Jay (Cyanocorax cayanus)
Bushy-crested Jay (Cyanocorax melanocyaneus)


All in all, I reckon that having 79 out of 130 corvid species represented in the gallery is damn good :D but I am certain we can do better! Quite apart from anything else, I would be very much surprised if no one has photographs of at least one of the Ground-jays, the Pinyon Jay, the Siberian Jay and the three Australian natives we lack (Little Crow, Little Raven and Forest Raven). The Bushcrow might be a more distant hope, but one never knows.......
Click to expand...

I note many of these come from areas where few if any Zoochatters live. Though maybe through trip photos we can hopefully get some species represented! Going digging through some older photos here soon, see if I can turn up some subspecies!

Someone's got to have Pinyon Jay... It ranges wide enough in reasonably accessible habitat, even if the species isn't really kept in zoos. The species is a thorn in the side for me as it is the only corvid I've been in the range of I've missed... Occasional visitor in my county even. :p
 
Great Argus said:
I note many of these come from areas where few if any Zoochatters live. Though maybe through trip photos we can hopefully get some species represented! Going digging through some older photos here soon, see if I can turn up some subspecies!
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Indeed, island endemics in the Caribbean and Pacific account for a lot of the missing taxa!

Great Argus said:
Someone's got to have Pinyon Jay... It ranges wide enough in reasonably accessible habitat, even if the species isn't really kept in zoos. The species is a thorn in the side for me as it is the only corvid I've been in the range of I've missed... Occasional visitor in my county even.
Click to expand...

As noted upthread, we have several members who posted photographs of an exhibit holding the species :p so we can but hope. It's certainly one of the missing species with the highest odds of being added to the gallery.
 
Great Argus said:
I do have a photo of obscurus Gray Jay I think, but I don't think it's much good to my recollection. I can look for it if you really want.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the photo I was remembering proved to be canadensis, and very poor as I did remember. That said, I have seen obscurus at least 3 times, and they live within an hour's drive from me. Come spring when it will actually be possible to access the area they're best seen, it is hopeful I may be able to fill the gap if someone else has not!

TeaLovingDave said:
Indeed, island endemics in the Caribbean and Pacific account for a lot of the missing taxa!



As noted upthread, we have several members who posted photographs of an exhibit holding the species :p so we can but hope. It's certainly one of the missing species with the highest odds of being added to the gallery.
Click to expand...

I noted that, with little surprise!

I saw your request to those members, though haven't seen anything so far. I'd guess a Pinyon will show up sooner than later though.
 
Florida Scrub-Jay is a very frustrating one for me as I went looking for it one day with no success. I had plans to go searching again early the following morning but I was too young at the time to go out on my own and my mother decided she didn't want me running around a preserve in general for some reason.

~Thylo
 
TeaLovingDave said:
There are actually rather fewer than one would think, given the number of species we are playing with, but here are the major gaps in the Zoochat gallery in terms of corvid species:
Click to expand...
I've seen over a dozen of those missing species in the wild. I'll look through my photos on the weekend and see what I can find (or not find, as the case may be. Don't expect too much).
 
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