Tamaulipas Crow (Corvus imparatus)

Tamaulipas Crow

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Corvidae | [latin] Corvus imparatus | [UK] Tamaulipas Crow | [FR] Corneille du Mexique | [DE] Mexikanerkrahe | [ES] Cuervo Tamaulipeco | [NL] Mexicaanse Kraai

Subspecies

Monotypic species

Physical charateristics

A small, social crow, endemic to Mexico except for a population around Brownsville, Texas.

Listen to the sound of Tamaulipas Crow

[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/T/Tamaulipas Crow.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

wingspan min.: 64 cm wingspan max.: 71 cm
size min.: 36 cm size max.: 38 cm
incubation min.: 17 days incubation max.: 18 days
fledging min.: 30 days fledging max.: 35 days
broods: 1   eggs min.: 4  
      eggs max.: 5  

Range

North America, Middle America : Northeast Mexico and South Texas

Habitat

Semi-open country. In Texas, seen mostly in and near the Brownsville garbage dump. In Mexico, found in dry brushland, ari
d scrub, farms, ranches, towns. Avoids unbroken forest, mountains, and extreme desert situations, and not often found on seashore.

Reproduction

Has only been known to nest a few times in Texas. Breeding behavior is not well known. May nest in loose colonies. Courtship may involve two birds perching close together, touching bills and preening each other’s feathers; one bird (male?) may feed the ot
her.
Nest:
Site is usually in tree; the first nests found in Texas were built in the open on a framework of steel beams. Both sexes help build nest, a substantial platform or shallow basket of sticks and plant fibers, lined with softer materials.
Eggs: 4. Pale blue, streaked with pale olive-buff. Incubation is apparently by female only, 17-18 days.
Young: Both parents bring food for nestlings. Development of young in the wild not well known; may leave the nest roughly 30-35 days after hatching.

Feeding habits

Probably omnivorous.
Diet not known in detail, but like other crows probably eats a wide variety of items. Scavenges for refuse, and known to eat carrion, insects, seeds; probably also birds’ eggs, berries, nuts, various other things.
Behavior: Forages mostly by walking on ground; also probably does some foraging in trees. Except when nesting, usually forages in flocks.

Conservation

This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Tamaulipas Crow status Least Concern

Migration

Northeastern Mexico only, except for the population around Brownsville, Texas. Migration: Mostly a permanent resident; disperses somewhat in winter, with small flocks moving north into Texas.

Distribution map

Tamaulipas Crow distribution range map

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