Piapiac vs Southern Nutcracker

Piapiac

Ptilostomus afer

Medium128 gGrassland

In size it is a little smaller and slimmer than the European magpie (Pica pica) though the bill is relatively thicker. It is 35–42 cm (14–17 in) in length and weighs 121–130 g (4.3–4.6 oz). The overall colouring is black with the feathers quite silky in texture and having a purplish gloss in good light. The base of the tail tends to be more brown in colour than the rest of the body. Unusual for a passerine it has 10 rather than 12 tail feathers. The nasal plumes are somewhat upturned on top of the bill but fully cover the nostrils.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: avocat · CC BY 4.0

Southern Nutcracker

Nucifraga hemispila

Medium183 gForest

The southern nutcracker is similar in size to the northern nutcracker, about 33 cm long. It is largely brown, with limited white spotting on the face and upper breast, plain brown lower breast and back, unmarked black wings, and white lower belly and under-tail coverts; for comparison, both the northern nutcracker and the kashmir nutcracker have extensive and larger white spots on the entire breast and back. The tail is black with white outer corners. The bill is stout and black, the legs also black.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: 夏仲归 · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Piapiac and Southern Nutcracker.