From Opus

Photo by Steve Round
Photographed: Wirral, Cheshire

Garrulus glandarius

[edit] Identification

North African birds show a greyer mantle and contrasting rufous nape, cervicalis from northern parts of Algeria and Tunisia has black crown, whitish sides to head and grey tail-base. Moroccan Atlas race minor and north Morocco-west Algerian whitakeri has broad crown streaks and sides of head more rufous.

Crimean race iphigenia, Turkish and Caucasian krynicki, atricapillus from the Middle East and rhodius from Rhodes have black crowns and whitish faces (more rufous in krynicki). Race severzowii from Scandinavia to the Urals intergrades between nominate and more eastern forms with rufous head and nape and contrasting grey mantle.

[edit] Distribution

A common and widespread bird in the Region, occurring in a variety of races. Breeds in the British Isles (except northern Scotland and western Ireland), and from France and Iberia east to the Urals ranging north to the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and south to most Mediterranean islands and North-West Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

Mainly resident but occasionally irruptive in far north of range and can result in birds crossing the North Sea to winter in Britain.

Recorded as a vagrant to Malta.

[edit] Taxonomy

Subspecies More than 30 subspecies of this bird have been described with about 20 from the Western Palearctic. These fall into several groups with the nominate group found over most of Europe including glandarius in North and Central Europe, rufitergum in Britain and hibernicus in Ireland. Further south, albipectus is found in Italy, fasciatus in Iberia. On the Mediterranean islands, corsicanus occurs on Corsica, ichnusae on Sardinia, cretorum on Crete and glaszneri on Cyprus. All are rather similar with pinkish-brown plumage and streaked crowns and some may not be valid races.

[edit] Habitat

Mainly deciduous woodland and forest, and oak in particular. Also in mixed forest, orchards, town parks and large gardens, and coniferous forest in the north and east of the Region. Usually shy and wary, solitary or in small groups in late winter and spring.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Vocalisation

The alarm call is a harsh, rasping screech. It is a great mimic.

[edit] References

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links