Black-Billed Magpie

Pica pica bactriana (Bonaparte, 1850)

2004-05-08 Almaty, Republic Square	© Askar Isabekov

Description

White color on the primaries and on the rump is more developed than in pica. A gradual cline of variability indicates a reduction of black and an increase of white on primary webs eastwards across Kazakhstan: in the majority of western birds the primary tips (including the ends of the inner webs) are black, whereas further east (e.g. Tien Shan) many birds have white tips on inner webs of primary feathers. Inner secondaries usually have a dark blue sheen.

Distribution

Breeds on all other parts of flat Kazakhstan and in mountains excepting Volga-Ural territory.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург, Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.