The Tamaulipas crow (''Corvus imparatus'') is a

crow A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifical ...

found in northeastern Mexico and southern

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Description

It is a relatively small and sleek looking crow, in length. It has very glossy dark, bluish

plumage Plumage ( "feather") is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, ...

, which appears soft and silky. The bill is quite slender and black, as are the legs and feet. The

Chihuahuan raven The Chihuahuan raven (''Corvus cryptoleucus'') is a species of crow in the family Corvidae that is native to the United States and Mexico. Description The proportions resemble the common raven with a heavy bill, but is about the same size as a c ...

, a much larger and very different bird, is the only crow it commonly occurs alongside.

Taxonomy

The

Sinaloa crow The Sinaloa crow (''Corvus sinaloae'') is a crow native to western Mexico. Description Visually, it is nearly identical to and the same length (34–38 cm) as the Tamaulipas crow (''Corvus imparatus''). It has the same purple-glossed, silky ...

(''Corvus sinaloae'') appears to be genetically extremely close to this bird and can be considered the western form of it though the voice is quite different, indeed a third species, the

fish crow The fish crow (''Corvus ossifragus'') is a species of crow associated with wetland habitats in the eastern and southeastern United States. Taxonomy and etymology The fish crow was given its binomial name by the Scottish ornithologist Alexa ...

(''Corvus ossifragus'') of the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

appears to be very closely related to them also and the three may be considered a superspecies.

Distribution and habitat

Occurring in a relatively small area in northeastern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, it inhabits near desert scrub and bushland and includes farms, small towns and villages in its range. It also occurs in more humid woodland in open areas but does not appear to be found in the higher mountains or along the seashore. It is a sociable bird often forming large flocks, moving together in close groups. Its northern range reaches Brownsville in southern

where it has been known to nest.

Behaviour

Diet

Food would appear to be mainly insects taken on the ground though eggs and nestlings are taken in trees as well as many fruits and berries.

Nesting

The nest is similar to the

American crow The American crow (''Corvus brachyrhynchos'') is a large passerine bird species of the family Corvidae. It is a common bird found throughout much of North America. American crows are the New World counterpart to the carrion crow of Europe and th ...

but smaller and is built in a tree or large bush.

Voice

The voice of this crow is unusual and unlike most other species of the genus ''Corvus''. It has a low croaking sound rather like a frog and a call that is described as a soft ''"gar-lik"''.

References

External links

Bird calling

Two stuffed museum birds

VIREO {{Taxonbar, from=Q582717

Tamaulipas crow The Tamaulipas crow (''Corvus imparatus'') is a crow found in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. Description It is a relatively small and sleek looking crow, in length. It has very glossy dark, bluish plumage, which appears soft and silky ...

Birds of the Rio Grande valleys Birds of Mexico