Bird
Piapiac
Ptilostomus aferAlso known as Black Magpie
Piapiacs are gregarious corvids often seen in noisy, tight-knit flocks across the savannas and grasslands of tropical Africa. They frequently associate with large grazing mammals such as cattle, perching directly on their backs to pluck off parasitic ticks and catch flushed insects. Adults display glossy dark plumage with a remarkably long, slender tail, whereas young birds are instantly recognizable by their bright pink bill.
SocialSavannaBird
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyGrasshoppers, Beetles, Oil palm fruit
Predators
- Raptors
- Snakes
ThreatsLocal habitat alteration
HabitatsDry savanna, wooded grassland, pastures, cultivated land
Life span10–15 years
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCorvidae
- GenusPtilostomus
- SpeciesPtilostomus afer
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Look for Livestock: Search around cattle and wild herds where flocks gather on animal backs and the ground.
- Listen for Calls: Identify them by their sharp, squeaky chatter and high-pitched piping vocalizations.
- Note Bill Color: Check bill color to quickly distinguish pink-billed juveniles from black-billed adults.
Frequent Companion "Cattle Egret in Breeding Plumage" by Koshyk is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Alastair Rae, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Family Member (c) Lip Kee, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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