Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Ethiopian Bush-crow

Zavattariornis stresemanni

ENEndangered Endemic to Ethiopia
Family
Crows, Jays, and Magpies (Corvidae)
Order
Passeriformes

Overview

The Ethiopian bushcrow (Zavattariornis stresemanni), also known as the Stresemann's bushcrow, Abyssinian pie, bush crow, or by its generic name Zavattariornis, is a rather starling-like bird, which is a member of the crow family, Corvidae. It is slightly larger than the North American blue jay and is a bluish-grey in overall colour which becomes almost white on the forehead. The throat and chest are creamy-white with the tail and wings a glossy black. The black feathers have a tendency to bleach to brown at their tips. The iris of the bird is brown and the eye is surrounded by a band of naked bright blue skin.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Diet: Insects dug from the soil and dung.

How to identify it

  1. Pale grey with a black face mask
  2. Bare blue skin around the eye
  3. Lives in small groups in acacia savanna

Voice

Harsh chattering calls.

Listen to recordings on xeno-canto

Where to see it

  • Yabelo, southern Ethiopia

Range and habitat

Southern Ethiopia (Sidamo Province).

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Continents

Countries

Habitats

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.