Piapiac
Ptilostomus afer
The Piapiac (Ptilostomus afer) is a rare crows, jays, and magpi found in 21 countries, weighing about 128 g. The piapiac is an African bird in the crow family, and is the only member of the genus Ptilostomus.
About the Piapiac
The piapiac is an African bird in the crow family, and is the only member of the genus Ptilostomus. It is most closely related to the Central Asian ground jays.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Mauritania.
When to see it
The Piapiac can be seen all year round, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Piapiac?
- In size it is a little smaller and slimmer than the European magpie (Pica pica) though the bill is relatively thicker. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Piapiac?
- The Piapiac is a medium sized bird weighing about 128 g.
- Where can you see a Piapiac?
- The Piapiac occurs in 21 countries, including Uganda, Nigeria, the Gambia, Ghana and Senegal.
- What birds look similar to a Piapiac?
- The Piapiac is most easily confused with the Sinaloa Crow, the Racket-tailed Treepie and the Southern Nutcracker.
- Is the Piapiac endangered?
- The Piapiac is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Piapiac for real
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