Iranian Ground-Jay Podoces pleskei Scientific name definitions

24 cm; 85–90 g. A boldly patterned small corvid with slightly decurved , rather slim bill , relatively short glossy black uppertail-coverts. Head, neck and both upperparts and underparts are warm sandy buff with pinkish hue, paling to whitish on throat and undertail-coverts; lores black, extending as narrow post-ocular streak, black patch at centre of lower throat widening over centre of upper breast; primaries white over basal two-third and with wide black tips, secondaries glossy blue-black, broadly tipped white; greater upperwing-coverts black with white tips, median coverts banded black and white, lesser coverts sandy buff; tail glossy black; iris dark brown; bill black; legs pale greyish. Sexes similar. Juvenile plumage is poorly documented; lacks black chest patch of adult, and presumably has pinkish bill.

Sandy desert plains, and both Zygophyllum and Artemisia steppe, with scattered small bushes and lower-growing plants, especially Calligonum, Salsola and Ephedra (but not one specific shrub in particular). Areas selected for nesting have however relatively dense and high vegetation, with comparatively more Zygophyllum eurypterum and Atraphaxis spinosa bushes (2 Rasekhinia, S., Aghnajafizadeh, S. and Eslami, K. (2012). Nest site selection by Persian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) in Bafgh protected area. International Journal of Environmental, Ecological, Geological and Mining Engineering. 6: 11–20. Close ). Recorded at 900–2000 m. Home range during the breeding season, 41–73 ha (n = 9; minimum convex polygon), similar in males, females and juveniles (3 Nazarizadeh, M., Fatemizadeh, F., Kaboli, M., Cheraghi, S., Hashemi, A. and Tohidifar, M. (2015). Home range of Pleske's Ground Jay Podoces pleskei in a breeding season in Touran Biosphere Reserve, North-Central Iran. Podoces. 10(1): 8−14. Close ).

Omnivorous, diet varying with season. In spring chiefly insectivorous, feeding principally on weevils (Curculionidae) and other beetles (e.g. Tenebrionidae), as well as termites (Isoptera), also occasional small lizard; in autumn, and presumably winter, takes greater variety of plant material, including grains (chiefly barley and wheat), melon seeds and seeds of Zygophyllum, and some insects. Observed to hide food items for later consumption; this food-hoarding behaviour makes it an important "planter" of desert shrubs and plants. Normally encountered in pairs or in family parties of up to six individuals; no larger gatherings reported. Behaviour hardly studied, but probably differs little from that of congeners. Most active early morning and evenings, foraging along tracks and in villages and other settlements, looking for grain. Shy and wary in general, but can, exceptionally, become very confiding, even taking food from the hand. Prefers to run, rather than fly, from suspected danger, disappearing remarkably quickly between small shrubs.

Most frequently heard is a series of far-carrying, penetrating tremulous whistles , "tseee tseee tseee tseee", reminiscent of calls given by Eastern Rock Nuthatch (Sitta tephronota); these whistles delivered from top of a bush in early mornings, less frequently in evenings.

Eggs laid in first half of Mar; single-brooded. Appears to have long-term pair-bond, partners keeping together all year. In Touran Biosphere Reserve nests made of thin branches and twigs, placed 40–115 cm above the ground, mostly in Atraphaxis spinosa bushes; cup-shaped when in this plant species, but showing a dome when in less dense shrubs as Zygophyllum eurypterum or Ephedra intermedia; eggs elliptical to long-elliptical, dirty white to cream, with light brown spots, 28∙3 mm × 20∙6 mm on average (n = 88); incubation period 17–19 days (17∙5 days on average, n = 38); fledging period 12–17 days (14∙5 days on average, n = 32); overall breeding success 36%, Varanus griseus being apparently a significant egg predator (4 Satei, N., Kaboli, M., Cheraghi, S., Karami, M., Najafabadi, M.S. and Goljani, R. (2010). Breeding activities and success of Pleske's Ground Jay Podoces pleskei in Touran Biosphere Reserve, Semnan Province, Iran. Podoces. 5(1): 35–41. Close ). Chicks fed by both parents, leave nest still unable to fly, but run after parents for up to 500 m from nest, finally able to fly at c. 24–28 days; family-members remain close together for several weeks, but seem to disperse in autumn.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Widely distributed over most of interior of E half of Iran, but by no means common; can be locally quite numerous. Found chiefly in Dasht-e Lut of Khorasan and extreme E Kerman, but recorded N to Sharud (in N Semnan), W to Yazd and S to Iranian Baluchistan; one record from Namakazar Basin, on border with NW Afghanistan, and recorded as occurring right up to border with Pakistan at Nokkundi, but presence in Pakistan not yet confirmed. In Jun 1973, 13 individuals (including juveniles) counted along 16-km stretch of the Mashhad-Zahedan highway in the Salahbad area; such density unlikely to be matched other than in prime habitats which have not been grazed by domestic animals. Despite size of country, many areas of desert are quite heavily grazed. This species is known to occur in at least two protected areas, notably Touran (in Semnan province) and Bahram-e Gour (in Fars). Its ability to tolerate salt steppe is a feature very much in its favour, as such habitats not popular for grazing domestic livestock, which otherwise remain the only obvious threat to its future survival.