| White-throated magpie-jay | |
|---|---|
_Copan_3.jpg) | |
| C. f. pompata, Honduras | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Corvidae |
| Genus: | Cyanocorax |
| Species: | C. formosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cyanocorax formosus (Swainson, 1827) | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
Pica formosa (protonym) | |
Thewhite-throated magpie-jay (Cyanocorax formosus) is a large Central American species ofmagpie-jay. It ranges in Pacific-slopethorn forest fromJalisco,Mexico, toGuanacaste,Costa Rica. Magpie-jays are noisy, gregarious birds, often traveling in easy-to-find flocks, mobbing their observers.
The white-throated magpie-jay wasformally described in 1827 by the English naturalistWilliam Swainson from a specimen that had been collected by the naturalistWilliam Bullock inTemascaltepec, Mexico. Swainson coined thebinomial namePica formosa.[2] The specific epithet is from the Latinformosus meaning "beautiful".[3] The white-throated magpie-jay and theblack-throated magpie-jay were formerly placed in their own genusCalocitta. Whenmolecular phylogenetic studies found that the genusCyanocorax wasparaphyletic relative toCalocitta,[4][5] the two species were subsumed intoCyanocorax to resolve the paraphyly.[6][7]
Threesubspecies are recognised:[6]
The white-throated magpie-jay hybridizes in Jalisco with theblack-throated magpie-jay (C. colliei), with which it forms a superspecies.[8]
The white-throated magpie-jay is between 43 and 56 cm (17–22 in) in length and weighs 205 to 213 g (7.2–7.5 oz). The species has a particularly long tail and a slightly curved crest offeathers on the head. The crest is black in the nominate race, but has blue or white margins on the other two subspecies. The nominate race has a white face with a black crown and margin to the face, forming a narrow band around the throat, as well as a small drop below the eye. The black is less extensive in the other subspecies. The breast, belly and underside of the rump are white, and the wings, mantle and tail are blue (with whitish margins on the tail). The legs and eye are black, and thebill is grey. Theplumage of the females is mostly as that of the male but duller on the top, with a narrower band across the chest, and the tail is shorter.[8]
The white-throated magpie-jay is associated with a wide range of habitats from arid environments to semi-humid woodlands, from sea level up to 1,250 m (4,100 ft), although only occasionally higher than 800 m (2,600 ft). It occurs rarely in columnarcacti forest, but is common in thorn forest, gallery forest, deciduous woodland, forest edges and cultivated areas like coffeeplantations. The species does not undertake any migratory movements, although males disperse away from their natal territories a few years after fledging. It is a common species across its range, and is not considered threatened by human activities.[8]
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White-throated magpie-jays areomnivorous, consuming a wide range of animal and plant matter. Items included in the diet include invertebrates such as insects and caterpillars, frogs, lizards, eggs and nestlings of other birds, seeds, fruits, grain, and nectar fromBalsa blossoms.[8] Younger birds take several years to acquire the full range of foraging skills of their parents.[9]
