Ground jay

The ground jays or ground choughs belong to a distinct group of the passerine order of birds in the genus Podoces of the crow family Corvidae. They inhabit high altitude semi-desert areas from central Asia to Mongolia.

Ground jays
Turkestan ground jay
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Corvidae
Subfamily:	Corvinae
Genus:	Podoces Fischer von Waldheim, 1821
Type species
Podoces panderi[1] Fischer von Waldheim, 1821
Species
Podoces hendersoni Podoces biddulphi Podoces pleskei Podoces panderi

Ground jays show adaptations to ground living such as long, strong legs adapted to fast running and the ability to leap and bound onto boulders and rocks with great agility. Their long, curved thick bills are adapted for digging and probing.

While capable of flight (which they do infrequently and relatively weakly), they prefer running, and will readily perch on trees and bushes also.

Species list

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Podoces hendersoni	Mongolian ground jay	Mongolia, northern China and adjacent areas of Russia and Kazakhstan
	Podoces biddulphi	Xinjiang ground jay	China
	Podoces pleskei	Pleske's ground jay	Iran.
	Podoces panderi	Turkestan ground jay	Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

The ground tit (Pseudopodoces humilis), previously Hume's ground jay, has changed its placement within the Passeriformes recently because of molecular and osteological testing. It has now been placed into the Paridae.