Ethiopian bushcrow

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The Ethiopian bushcrow is a starling-like bird in the crow family, with the scientific name Zavattariornis stresemanni. It is about 28 cm long and weighs around 130 grams. It is pale grey with a black tail and wings, creamy white throat and chest, and a striking blue, bare skin around the eye.

Where it lives
This bird is found only in a small part of southern-central Ethiopia, around Yabelo, Mega, and Arero. It prefers open savannas with mature acacia and thornbushes, at elevations of about 1,300–1,800 meters. It does not migrate and usually travels in small groups.

What it looks and sounds like
Adult birds have a pale grey head and body, with a black tail and blue-black wings. The eye area has bright blue skin that can puff up. They are very vocal, with a variety of calls used during foraging and nesting.

Feeding and foraging
The bushcrow mostly eats insects. It forages on the ground and in trees, digging in the soil to find prey, and sometimes tearing apart rotten wood or inspecting cattle dung. It may even ride on cattle to pick off parasites.

Breeding
Breeding starts after the first rains, around February to March. They build a large, globular nest high in an acacia tree. The nest often houses a small colony; 5–6 cream eggs with lilac spots are laid. Sometimes helpers from previous broods help raise the young.

Conservation status and threats
The Ethiopian bushcrow has a very small and shrinking range, and its habitat is being lost from overgrazing, soil compaction, and conversion to farmland. In Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary, acacia trees are also collected for firewood, reducing nesting sites. From 1999 to 2003, the population is thought to have dropped by about 80%. It is listed as Endangered because its range is so restricted and its habitat is being lost. By 2007, estimates suggested fewer than 10,000 birds remained.

Climate change makes things worse. The bushcrow needs a specific cool microclimate to forage, and models predict the bird’s suitable area could shrink dramatically—up to about 90%—by 2070, depending on future warming. Because of this, conservation actions such as captive breeding and assisted migration may be needed. The species can also serve as an indicator of how climate change affects birds and may become a flagship example of its impact on African wildlife.