Corvidae
Хэрээнийхэн
khereenikheŋ

General

This list is 'in beta'. Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Kazakh, Turkish, and Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

Crows, magpies, and jays are familiar birds to Mongolians. Since there are long-standing vernacular names, ornithological constructs are less relevant than at many passerine families.

Names for the Crows

The general Мongolian word for 'crow' is Хэрээ kheree (Хирээ khiree in Buryat). Other names exist but are much less common, such as Бараан шувуу baraaŋ shuvuu 'black bird'. A small crow is known as Туруу turuu. Хан хэрээ khaŋ kheree 'king crow' is another occasionally encountered term for the crow.

There are specific names for various members of the genus Corvus:

1. Rooks are specifically known as Турлиах turliakh or Турлааг turlaag (the Buryat name is Турлааг turlaag).

2. The Jackdaw is known by variations on single name (all written the same way in the traditional script), often prefixed by the word Алаг alag 'motley': Туу tuu, Алагтуу alagtuu 'motley tuu', Алаг дуу alag duu 'motley duu'; Buryat, Алаг туун alag tuun 'motley tuun'; and Inner Mongolian Таага taag or Алаг таага alag taag 'motley taag' and Таагуу taaguu. (However, Inner Mongolian dictionaries also give Алаг таага 'motley taag' for the Collared Crow and Хар таага khar taag 'black taag' for the Carrion Crow.)

3. Хон хэрээ khoŋ kheree 'cawing crow' or (in Inner Mongolian dictionaries) Хонг khoŋg are used for the Raven. (As Алаг хонг alag khoŋg 'motley khong', this is also used for the Jackdaw.)

The 2007 "binomial names" attempt to regularise crow naming by simply adding Хэрээ kheree to all existing names in the genus Corvus.

Magpies

The Eurasian Magpie is known as Шаазгай shaazgai, which is ultimately based on the typical chatter of the magpie, шаг шаг shag shag in Mongolian. The verb describing this chattering is шагших shagshikh, and 'magpie' as written in the conservative traditional script is literally shagajagai. The Buryat name is also Шаазгай shaazgai.

Alternative forms of the name are Цанцаахай tsantsaakhai (in the "binomial names" ornithologically used for the Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica) and Цагцхай tsagtskhai.

Шаазгай shaazgai is also used for the Nutcracker (Самарч Шаазгай samarch shaazgai 'nutting magpie') and the European Jay (Garrulus), which is known as the Ятга шаазгай yatag shaazgai 'zither magpie'. This is listed in the 2007 "binomial names" in the form Ятгашаазгай yatag-shaazgai.

The Inner Mongolian name for the Nutcracker is Цуурай tsuurai.

Other

1. Aside from Ятга шаазгай yatag shaazgai 'zither magpie', Inner Mongolian dictoniaries give Ит хэрээ it kheree or Ит it for the Jay (Garrulus).

2. Дуудууш duuduush is the name of the Siberian Jay (Perisoreus), glossed here as 'caller' as it appears to be related to the verb дуудах duudakh 'to cry, call' in reference to the bird's copious vocalisations. In Inner Mongolia the name takes the form of Дуудууч duuduuch.

4. The unique local Ground-jays (Podoces) are known as Жороо joroo, literally 'amble', which appears to refer to the fast ambling stride of a horse.

5. The Chough (Pyrrhocorax) is known as Жунгаа juŋgaa, which was adopted in the 2007 "binomial names". The earlier ornithological term was the nondescript Улаан хушуут ulaaŋ khushuut 'red billed'. In Inner Mongolia the related term Жонгор joŋgor is used.

Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE

SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		MONGOLIAN			EAST ASIAN			TURKIC
Pyrrhocorax
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	Red-billed chough Клушица, Красноклювая апьлийская галка	Улаанхушуут жунгаа ᠣᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠣᠰᠢᠭᠣᠲᠣ ᠵᠣᠩᠭ᠎ᠠ ulaaŋ-khushuut juŋgaa 'red-billed chough'	Жонгор хэрээ ᠵᠣᠩᠭᠣᠷ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠡ joŋgor xeree 'mountainchough crow' (33) or Улаан хушуут жонгор ᠣᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠣᠰᠢᠭᠣᠲᠣ ᠵᠣᠩᠭᠣᠷ ulaaŋ khoshuut joŋgor 'red-billed mountainchough' (33)	Mongolia formerly: Улаан хушуут ᠣᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠣᠰᠢᠭᠣᠲᠣ ulaaŋ khushuut 'red billed' IM also: Жонгор ᠵᠣᠩᠭᠣᠷ joŋgor 'mountainchough' (31) or Улаан хэрээ ᠣᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ ulaaŋ kheree 'red crow' (alt in 31)	红嘴山鸦 (紅嘴山鴉) hóng-zuǐ shān-yā 'red-billed mountain crow'	ベニバシガラス (紅嘴烏 ~ 紅嘴鴉) beni-bashi garasu 'crimson-billed crow'	붉은부리까마귀 bulgeun-buri-kkamagwi 'red-billed crow'	Қызылтұмсық шауқарға qızıl-tumsıq şaw-qarğa 'red-billed sluggish-crow'	Kızılgagalı Dağkargası 'red-billed mountain crow'
Perisoreus
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Perisoreus infaustus	Siberian jay Кукша, Ронжа	Хөвчийн дуудууш ᠬᠦᠪᠴᠢ ᠵᠢᠨ ᠲᠠᠭᠣᠲᠠᠭᠠᠰᠢ khövchiŋ duuduush 'mountain-range caller'	Умарт дуудууч хэрээ ᠣᠮᠠᠷᠠᠲᠣ ᠲᠠᠭᠣᠲᠠᠭᠠᠴᠢ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ umartiŋ duuduuch kheree 'northern calling crow' (33)	Mongolia formerly: Дуудууш ᠲᠠᠭᠣᠲᠠᠭᠠᠰᠢ duuduush 'caller' IM also: Умартын дуудууч хэрээ ᠣᠮᠠᠷᠠᠲᠣ ᠵᠢᠨ ᠲᠠᠭᠣᠲᠠᠭᠠᠴᠢ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ umartiŋ duuduuch kheree 'northern calling crow' (31)	北噪鸦 (北噪鴉) běi zào-yā 'northern noisy crow'	アカオカケス (赤尾懸巣 ~ 赤尾) aka-o kake-su 'red-tailed hang-nest'		Орманқарға orman-qarğa 'forest crow'
Cyanopica
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Cyanopica cyanus Cyanopica cyana	Azure-winged magpie Голубая сорока	Цэнхэр цанцаахай ᠴᠡᠩᠬᠡᠷ ᠴᠠᠨᠴᠠᠬᠠᠢ tseŋkher tsaŋtsaakhai 'lightblue magpie (variant form)'	Хөх шаазгай ᠬᠦᠬᠡ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ khökh shaazgai 'darkblue magpie' (31, 33)	Mongolia formerly: Цэнхэр шаазгай ᠴᠡᠩᠬᠡᠷ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ tseŋkher shaazgai 'lightblue magpie'	灰喜鹊 (灰喜鵲) huī xǐ-què 'grey magpie'	オナガ (尾長) o-naga 'long-tail'	물까치 mul-kkachi 'water magpie'
Garrulus
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Garrulus glandarius	Eurasian jay Jay Сойка	Цагчаа ятгашаазгай ?? ᠶᠠᠲᠣᠭ᠎ᠠ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ tsagchaa yatag-shaazgai 'wake-up ? zither-magpie'	Ит хэрээ ᠢᠲᠠ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ it kheree 'jay crow' (33) Note	Mongolia formerly: Ятга шаазгай ᠶᠠᠲᠣᠭ᠎ᠠ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ yatag shaazgai 'zither magpie' Inner M: Ит хэрээ ᠢᠲᠠ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ it kheree 'jay crow' (31)	松鸦 (松鴉) sōng-yā 'pine crow' Taiwan: (松鸦) 松鴉 sōng-yā 'pine crow'	カケス (懸巣 ~ ) kake-su 'hang-nest'	어치 eochi 'jay'	Жорғаторғай jorğa-torğay 'ambling sparrow'	Alakarga 'jay'
Podoces
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Podoces hendersoni	Mongolian Ground-jay or Henderson's ground jay Black-tailed ground jay Henderson's ground chough Монгольская пустынная сойка	Монгол хуланжороо ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠬᠣᠯᠠᠨ ᠵᠢᠷᠣᠭ᠎ᠠ moŋgol khulaŋ-joroo 'Mongolian wild-horse ambler'	Хулан жороо ᠬᠣᠯᠠᠨ ᠵᠢᠷᠣᠭ᠎ᠠ khulaŋ joroo 'wild-horse ambler' (31, 33)	Mongolia formerly: Хулан жороо ᠬᠣᠯᠠᠨ ᠵᠢᠷᠣᠭ᠎ᠠ khulaŋ joroo 'wild-horse ambler'	黑尾地鸦 (黑尾地鴉) hēi-wěi dì-yā 'black-tailed ground-crow'	ハシナガサバクガラス (嘴長砂漠烏 ~ 嘴長砂漠鴉) hashi-naga sabaku-garasu 'long-billed desert-crow'		Монғол жорғаторғайы monğol jorğa-torğayı 'Mongolian ambling sparrow'
Pica
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Pica pica	Eurasian Magpie Common Magpie Black-billed magpie Magpie Сорока	Алаг шаазгай ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ alag shaazgai 'motley magpie'	Шаазгай ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ shaazgai 'magpie' (31, 33)	Mongolia formerly: Шаазгай ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ shaazgai 'magpie'	喜鹊 (喜鵲) xǐ-què 'magpie' Taiwan: (喜鹊) 喜鵲 xǐ-què 'magpie'	カササギ (鵲) kasasagi 'magpie'	까치 kkachi 'magpie'	Сауысқан sawısqan 'magpie'	Saksağan 'magpie'
Nucifraga
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Nucifraga caryocatactes	Eurasian nutcracker Spotted nutcracker Nutcracker Кедровка, Ореховка	Бидэрт самарчшаазгай ᠪᠢᠲᠡᠷᠲᠣ ᠰᠠᠮᠣᠷᠴᠢ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ bidert samarch-shaazgai 'dotted nutting-magpie'	Цуурай ᠴᠠᠥᠷᠠᠢ tsuurai 'nutcracker' (31, 33)	Mongolia formerly: Самарч шаазгай ᠰᠠᠮᠣᠷᠴᠢ ᠱᠠᠭᠠᠵᠠᠭᠠᠢ samarch shaazgai 'nutting magpie'	星鸦 (星鴉) xīng yā 'starred crow' Taiwan: (星鸦) 星鴉 xīng yā 'starred crow'	ホシガラス (星烏 ~ 星鴉) hoshi garasu 'starred crow'	잣까마귀 jat-kkamagwi 'pine-nut crow'	Самыркеш samırkeş 'samırkeş'	Köknar Kargası 'fir crow'
Corvus
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Corvus dauuricus	Daurian jackdaw Даурская галка, Пегая	Алагтуу хэрээ ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ alagtuu kheree 'motley jackdaw crow'	Дагуур Алаг дуу ᠳᠠᠭᠣᠷ ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ daguur alag duu 'Daurian motley jackdaw' (33)	Mongolia formerly: Алагтуу ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ alagtuu 'motley jackdaw' IM also: Алаг дуу ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ alag duu 'motley jackdaw' (31) or Алаг хонг ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠬᠣᠩ alag khoŋg 'motley raven' (31) or Хонг хэрээ ᠬᠣᠩ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ khoŋg kheree 'raven crow' (31) Other: Туу ᠲᠠᠭᠣ tuu 'jackdaw' Таага ᠲᠠᠭᠣ taag 'taag' (Inner Mongolia) Алаг таага ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ alag taag 'motley taag' (Inner Mongolia) Таагуу ᠲᠠᠭᠣ taaguu 'taaguu' (Inner Mongolia)	达乌里寒鸦 (達烏里寒鴉) dáwūlǐ hán-yā 'Daurian cold crow' Taiwan: (东方寒鸦) 東方寒鴉 dōngfāng hán-yā 'eastern cold crow'	コクマルガラス (黒丸烏 ~ 黒丸鴉) koku-maru garasu 'black circle crow'	갈까마귀 gal-kkamagwi 'autumn ? crow'	Даур шауқарға dawr şaw-qarğa 'Daurian sluggish-crow'
Corvus monedula	Eurasian Jackdaw or Western Jackdaw Jackdaw Галка	Харлаг хэрээ ᠬᠠᠷᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ kharlag kheree 'black-patterned crow'	Алаг дуу ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ alag duu 'motley jackdaw' (33) or Алаг хонг ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠬᠣᠩ alag khoŋg 'motley raven' (33)	Mongolia formerly: Хар алагтуу ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠠᠯᠠᠭ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ khar alagtuu 'black motley jackdaw'	寒鸦 (寒鴉) hán-yā 'cold crow'	ニシコクマルガラス (西黒丸烏 ~ 西黒丸鴉) nishi koku-maru garasu 'western black circle crow'		Шауқарға şaw-qarğa 'sluggish-crow'	Küçük Karga 'small crow'
Corvus frugilegus	Rook Грач	Турлиах хэрээ ᠲᠣᠷᠯᠢᠶᠠᠬ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ turliakh kheree 'rook crow'	Турлиах ᠲᠣᠷᠯᠢᠶᠠᠬ᠎ᠠ turliakh 'rook' (31, 33)	Mongolia formerly: Турлиах ᠲᠣᠷᠯᠢᠶᠠᠬ᠎ᠠ turliakh 'rook' Other: Турлааг ᠲᠣᠷᠯᠠᠬ ? turlaag 'rook' Турлаахь ᠲᠣᠷᠯᠠᠬᠢ turlaakh' 'rook'	秃鼻乌鸦 (禿鼻烏鴉) tū bí wū-yā 'bald-nosed crow' Taiwan: (秃鼻鸦) 禿鼻鴉 tū bí yā 'bald-nosed crow'	ミヤマガラス (深山烏 ~ 深山鴉) mi-yama garasu 'deep mountain crow'	떼까마귀 tte-kkamagwi 'flock ? crow'	Таған tağan 'rook'	Ekin Kargası 'corn crow'
Corvus corax	Common raven Raven Ворон	Хон хэрээ ᠬᠣᠩ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ khoŋ kheree 'cawing crow'	Тураг хэрээ ᠲᠣᠷᠣᠭ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ turag kheree 'giant crow' (31, 33)	Mongolia formerly: Хон хэрээ ᠬᠣᠩ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ khoŋ kheree 'cawing crow' Other: Хонг ᠬᠣᠩ khoŋg 'raven' (onomat.) (Inner Mongolia)	渡鸦 (渡鴉) dù yā 'passage crow'	ワタリガラス (渡り烏 ~ 渡り鴉) watari-garasu 'passage crow'	큰까마귀 keun-kkamagwi 'large crow'	Құзғын quzğın 'raven'	Kuzgun 'raven'
Corvus corone	Carrion crow Черная ворона	Хар хэрээ ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ khar kheree 'black crow' Corvus cornix: Саарал хэрээ ᠰᠠᠷᠠᠯ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ saaral kheree 'grey crow'	Хонг хэрээ ᠬᠣᠩ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ khoŋg kheree 'raven crow' (33)	Mongolia formerly: Хар хэрээ ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ khar kheree 'black crow' IM also: Бага хушуут хэрээ ᠪᠠᠭ᠎ᠠ ᠬᠣᠰᠢᠭᠣᠲᠣ ᠬᠡᠷᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ bag khushuut kheree 'small-billed crow' (31) Other: Хар таага ᠬᠠᠷ᠎ᠠ ᠲᠠᠭᠣ khar taag 'black taag' (Inner Mongolia)	小嘴乌鸦 (小嘴烏鴉) xiǎo-zuǐ wū-yā 'small-billed crow' Corvus cornix 冠小嘴乌鸦 (冠小嘴烏鴉) guān xiǎo-zuǐ wūyā 'crested small-billed crow' (2) Taiwan: (小嘴乌鸦) 小嘴烏鴉 xiǎo-zuǐ wū-yā 'small-billed crow'	ハシボソガラス (嘴細烏 ~ 嘴細鴉) hashi-boso garasu 'slender-billed crow'	까마귀 kkamagwi 'crow'	Қара қарға qara qarğа 'black crow'	Leş Kargası 'carrion crow'

Floating Menu by Milonic

TOP

Tool tips by Walter Zorn