- Corvus imparatus
Identification :
The Tamaulipas Crow is a small crow (38 cm), very shiny in appearance, black overall but with a purplish tint above and purplish to bluish-green gloss underneath. The bill is small and short. Its call is much like that of the Fish Crow, but Fish Crows are not found in this region.
Sexes are similar but females are smaller than males. Juveniles are dull black with a dark dull grey bill and legs.
Distribution
Range extends primarily through the Tamaulipas region of Mexico, reaching into extreme southern Texas, into the lower Rio Grande Valley, most records are in the town of Brownsville.
It is common within its range, but its range is very limited.
Taxonomy
It is the counterpart of the Sinaloa Crow of the Pacific slope; in fact, the two are considered conspecific by some and then called Mexican Crow.
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
It is found in open and semi-open woodlands and lowland scrubby farmland, sometimes in semi-desert habitats. It may be found in villages and ranches
Behaviour
In southeastern Texas, it is found primarily around the garbage dump at Brownsville. Believed to nest in loose colonies. The nest is a platform or shallow basket made from sticks and plant materials, with soft material lining the inside. It is usually in a tree. Typically, four eggs are laid in early April. The Tamaulipas Crow scavenges for refuse and eats carrion, insects, and seeds, and, like other crows, it likely also eats other birds, eggs, berries, and nuts.
A resident species.
Vocalisation
Call a very rough, nasal, flat burp/croak brraarp usually in series: brraap brraap brraap.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Tamaulipas Crow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Tamaulipas_Crow
