Daurian jackdaw

　A small crow, about the size of a pigeon, it migrates to Japan as one of the few winter visitors. In the Izumi Plain, several individuals are often seen mixed within large flocks of rooks. Previously, it was thought there were two types: a pale morph with white from the back of the neck to the chest and belly, and a dark morph with a glossy black overall colour. Now, the pale morph is generally considered the adult, and the dark morph the juvenile.

　The first time I saw one, I was astonished by its sheer smallness. Standing alongside a rook, it appears only about half the size.

    The English name “Daurian” and the French name “Daourie” derive from Dauria, the vast steppe region where their breeding grounds lie, situated at the tri-border area of Russia, Mongolia, and China.