Mongolian Ground Jay or Henderson’s Ground jay is a one of the native Asian bird species of Corvidae family, lives in Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.

Can you see this endangered bird species of world in Mongolian Gobi desert, where known as “Gobi Pie”. 26-28cm, Mongolian Ground Jay with long, curved, black beak and tarsus has tan plumage and white striped green crown, tail, primaries and black striped forehead.

Mongolian Ground Jay nests on mountainsides with big saxaul tree, bushes, almond bushes and eats little lizard, balm cricket, grasshopper and almond bush’s campanula. In winter, when food become a rare, they move close to herder families and eat meat crumbs of that family. Their slightly curved beak is suitable for digging the ground. Mongolian Ground Jay is intelligent, sensible bird that runs fast from bush to bush and mostly live in pairs. They chirp very loud like whistling. Chirping out loud, Mongolian Ground Jay runs outside of herder family to let them know someone is visiting to their home.

Due to water scarcity in Mongolian Gobi, some tourist camps use their wells and elm, tamarisk, almond bush garden in order to provide birds with water and keep birds chirping around their campsite. There are 6000 trees in one garden and it forms ecosystem, because small birds come following tree and carnivorous birds come following small birds. Therefore, there evolves small lizards and shrikes come following them.

There are 9 bird species with Mongolian identity. Upland Buzzard mostly found in North China, Kazakhstan and Russia started settle down in Mongolia abundantly, because Mongolia still keeps it Central Asian nature and climate features. Like Upland Buzzard, Mongolian Ground Jay started to settle down in Mongolian Gobi desert. Therefore, Mongolia became homeland of Demoiselle Crane and Golden Eagle.