The Grey Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae) is an Asian treepie, a medium-sized perching bird of the Corvidae (crow) family.
Description
It is about the size of the Eurasian Jay or slightly smaller with a jet-black stripe above the eyes and a sooty black face. The rest of the neck and breast is a sooty grey becoming paler towards the lower belly and rump and the top of the head and nape are silvery-grey. The wing primaries (longest wing feathers) are black with a white spot near the base at the wing cover, and the tail is relatively short and also black, as are the bill, legs, and feet.
This bird covers quite a large geographical area and consequently has several recognized regional forms that differ slightly from one another for instance in color and tail length.
Distribution / Range
It ranges from northeastern India, Nepal, Assam, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, southern China, and Indochina. Forests and wooded hills or mountains are its usual haunt, and it is quite often found in areas of hill terrace cultivation.
Diet / Feeding
This Grey Treepie is mostly an arboreal feeder but will take some food from the ground especially in cultivated regions. A wide range of insects and other invertebrates are taken including berries, nectar, grain and other seeds and also small reptiles, eggs and nestlings. It sometimes travels in feeding parties with Laughingthrushes (Garrulax species).
Nesting / Breeding
The nest is quite shallow and lightly built in trees and bushes or clumps of bamboo with 3-4 eggs per clutch.
Calls / Vocalization
The voice is described as harsh and grating, but like other species is quite varied and includes a grating k-r-r-r-r sound as well as more melodious notes.
