Photo: موسی مزینانیان / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Iranian Ground Jay
Podoces pleskei
Iranian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Europe & Northern Asia.
The Iranian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 87.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Podoces
- Species pleskei
Quick facts
- Weight
- 87.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Iranian Ground Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Iranian Ground Jay is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Iranian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL c, e Iran.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 87.5 g, with a wing length of about 11.9 cm and a tail of around 8.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 220,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Iranian Ground Jay?
The Iranian Ground Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 87.5 g.
Where does the Iranian Ground Jay live?
The Iranian Ground Jay is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL c, e Iran, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Iranian Ground Jay belong to?
The Iranian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Iranian Ground Jay eat?
The Iranian Ground Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Iranian Ground Jay migrate?
The Iranian Ground Jay is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Iranian Ground Jay endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Iranian Ground Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Iranian Ground Jay — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Iranian Ground Jay's range?
The Iranian Ground Jay has a mapped global range of about 220,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Feeders for Jays & Larger Garden Birds
How to choose a feeder for jays and other big, bold garden birds — the styles that suit peanuts and larger food, and how to keep them from crowding your small-bird feeders. A decision framework with the species in the Birbs encyclopedia.