Crows (Corvidae)

Pander's Ground-jay (Podoces panderi) - HBW 14, p. 610

French: Podoce de Pander German: Saxaulhäher German: Saxaulhäher Spanish: Arrendajo Terrestre del Turquestán
Other common names: Saxaul Jay, Grey/Turkestan Ground-jay, Pander's Ground-chough

Taxonomy: Podoces Panderi J. G. Fischer von Waldheim, 1821, Kyzyl Kum, Uzbekistan.
Forms a species pair with P. pleskei, both differing from other two members of genus in lacking black on crown, and in having relatively short uppertail-coverts, pale legs and a blackish breast patch. Birds from Transcaspia described as race transcaspius and those from E Kazakhstan (L Balkhash) as ilensis, but effects of bleaching and plumage wear render such forms of questionable validity. Treated as monotypic.

Distribution: N & C Uzbekistan, S Kazakhstan and N & C Turkmenistan; also isolated population in E Kazakhstan (S of L Balkhash).