Kunguru

Kunguru ni ndege wakubwa kiasi wa familia Corvidae. Spishi nyingine huitwa vinubi. Wanatokea mabara yote isipokuwa Antakitiki. Spishi nyingi ni nyeusi au nyeusi pamoja na rangi ya nyeupe, kijivu au kahawa; nyingine zina rangi mbalimbali kama buluu, pinki n.k. Hula nusra kila kitu: wanyama na ndege wadogo, wadudu, mizoga, matunda, nafaka n.k. Hulijenga tago lao kwa vijiti juu ya mti au jabali. Spishi nyingine huyajenga matago kwa makundi. Jike huyataga mayai 3-10.

Kunguru na binadamu 

Baadhi ya kunguru huonwa kuwa ni waharibifu na inajulikana kwamba kunguru mkubwa kaskazi (Corvus corax), kunguru mkubwa wa Australia (Corvus coronoides) na kunguru mlamizoga (Corvus corone) wanaweza kuua wanakondoo dhaifu. Lakini mara nyingi hula mizoga iliyouawa karibuni kwa namna nyingine, ugonjwa k.m. Wengine wanaweza kuiga sauti ya binadamu, lakini hawawezi kuongea kama kasuku. Kunguru waliofundishwa kuongea, huonwa kama sehemu muhimu ya Asia ya Mashariki, kwa sababu kunguru huonwa kama alama ya bahati. Baadhi ya watu wanafuga kunguru kama wanyama wa nyumbani. Japo binadamu hawawezi kuwatambua kunguru, kunguru wanaweza kuwatambua watu na kuelewa kwamba hawa ni watu wabaya au la.

Kwa tamaduni nyingi za kienyeji za kaskazi ya mbali sana kunguru, spishi kubwa hasa, wamekuchwa kama viumbe vya kirobo au miungu. Katika Afrika Waxhosa wa Afrika Kusini waliwachukulia kunguru kuwa ni ndege wa Mungu. Hadithi ya kixhosa kuhusu shujaa aitwaye Gxam inasimulia kwamba kunguru walirudishia shujaa aliyefanywa upofu uwezo wake wa kuona. Hadithi nyingine ya Wasara wa Chadi na Sudani inasimulia kwamba Mungu mkuu, Wantu Su, alimpa mpwa wake wa kiume Wantu ngoma iliyokuwa ndani yake na mifano ya kila kitu kilichokuwamo mbinguni. Wantu alitarajiwa kuwapatia binadamu vitu hivi, lakini alikuwa akishuka kamba iliyounga mbingu na dunia, kunguru alipiga ngoma. Ngoma akaanguka duniani, akavunjika na akatawanya wanyama, samaki na mimea duniani kote.

Uwindaji 

Huko Marekani kunguru huwindwa kwa kibali cha serikali. Isipokuwa kwanzia Agosti mpaka Machi, msimu wa uwindaji kunguru sababu huwa wengi na hapo watu huruhusiwa kuwinda kunguru. Huko Uingereza ni marufuku mpaka pale mtu atakapopewa kibali.

Tabia 
Kunguru anamaamuzi ya haraka sana, na anamacho yenye uwezo mkubwa wa kuona, pia kunguru anaonekana kuwa na ujasiri mkubwa hamwogopi binadam wa kike (mwanamke)

Milio 

Kunguru hutoa milio mbalimbali. Suala kwamba kuna mawasiliano ya kunguru ni aina ya lugha ni mjadala mkubwa mpaka leo. Kunguru pia wamejifunza kuitika milio ya wanyama wengine na tabia hii hubadilika kwa misimu kadhaa. Milio ya kunguru ni tata na migumu kuelewa, na milio yao hutofautiana kwa spishi tofauti na hasa ugumu wa kujifunza milio huja pale ambapo inafahamika kuwa kunguru wanauwezo wa kusikia sauti ndogo sana ambazo binadamu hawezi kuzisikia.

Akili 
 

Kama kundi, kunguru wameonekana kuwa na akili sana na majaribio mbalimbali yamethibitisha hili. Kunguru wamepata alama za juu sana kwenye tafiti za awali. Kunguru wa huko Israeli wamejifunza kutumia vipande vya mkate kama chombo cha kuvulia samaki. Spishi moja, New Caledonian Crow, wamefanyiwa tafiti sana kutokana na uwezo wao wa kutengeneza zana za matumizi ya kila siku. . Ujuzi mwingine ni ule wa kuangusha mbegu ngumu kwenye barabara inayopitisha magari makubwa ili yapasue, na kisha kusubiri taa za barabarani kuruhusu watu wapitie watawanye mbegu hizo. Na tafiti hivi karibuni zinaonesha kuwa kunguru wana uwezo wa nyuso za watu.

Virusi 
Kunguru wa Amerika wanaathirika sana na virusi vya Naili Magharibi ugonjwa ulioanza hivi punde tu huko Amerika kunguru hufa ndani ya wiki moja tu tangu waupate ugonjwa huu na wachache sana hufanikiwa kupona. Kunguru wa huko huathirika sana na, kiasi cha kwamba kifo chao sasa kinaonesha athari ya virusi hao kwenye maeneo yao.

Uainishaji 
Tangu miaka mingi wataalamu hawakubali kuhusu undugu wa familia Corvidae na jamaa yake. Mwishowe ilionekana kwamba kunguru wametokana na wahenga wa kiaustralasia na walitawanyika duniani kote. Majamaa yao ya karibu sana ni ndege wa peponi (birds of paradise), mbwigu na Australian mudnesters.

Kumbukumbu ya visukuku vya kunguru (mifupa yao) inaonyesha kwamba walikuwa wengi sana Ulaya lakini husiano baina ya kunguru wa kabla ya historia hazieleweki vizuri. Kunguru wa makubwa ya jackdaw, kunguru rangi-mbili na kunguru domo-nene wanaonekana kuwa walikuwepo tangu zamani sana. Kunguru waliwindwa na binadamu hadi enzi ya chuma, kitu ambacho kinaonyesha mabadiliko ya spishi za kisasa. Kunguru wa Marekani hawana historia sahihi inayoaminika. Chakushangaza spishi nyingi zimekwisha hivi sasa baada ya uvamizi wa binadamu, katika visiwa kama Nyuzilandi, Hawaii na Grinlandi hasa.

Spishi za Afrika
 Corvus albicollis, Kunguru Kisogo-cheupe (White-necked Raven)
 Corvus albus, Kunguru Rangi-mbili (Pied Crow)
 Corvus capensis, Kunguru Mwangapwani (Cape Rook au Cape Crow)
 Corvus corax (Northern au Common Raven)
 Corvus c. tingitanus, Kunguru Mkubwa ( North African Raven)
 Corvus crassirostris, Kunguru Domo-nene (Thick-billed Raven)
 Corvus edithae, Kunguru Somali (Somali Crow au Dwarf Raven)
 Corvus rhipidurus, Kunguru Mkia-mpana (Fan-tailed Raven)
 Corvus ruficollis, Kunguru Shingo-kahawia (Brown-necked Raven)
 Corvus splendens, Kunguru Bara-Hindi (Indian House Crow)
 Garrulus glandarius, Kunguru Rangirangi (Eurasian Jay)
 Pica pica, Kinubi Rangi-mbili (Eurasian Magpie)
 Pica p. mauritanica, Kinubi Rangi-mbili wa Afrika ( North African Magpie)
 Ptilostomus afer, Kinubi (Piapiac)
 Pyrrhocorax graculus, Kunguru-milima Domo-njano (Alpine Chough)
 Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, Kunguru-milima Domo-jekundu (Red-billed Chough)
 Zavattariornis stresemanni, Kunguru Mweupe (Stresemann's Bush Crow)

Spishi za mabara mengine
 Aphelocoma californica (California Scrub Jay)
 Aphelocoma coerulescens (Florida Scrub Jay)
 Aphelocoma insularis (Island Scrub Jay)
 Aphelocoma ultramarina (Transvolcanic Jay)
 Aphelocoma unicolor (Unicolored Jay)
 Aphelocoma wollweberi (Mexican Jay)
 Aphelocoma woodhouseii (Woodhouse's Scrub Jay)
 Calocitta colliei (Black-throated Magpie-jay)
 Calocitta formosa (White-throated Magpie-jay)
 Cissa chinensis (Common Green Magpie)
 Cissa hypoleuca (Indochinese Green au Yellow-breasted Magpie)
 Cissa jefferyi (Bornean Green Magpie)
 Cissa thalassina (Javan Green Magpie)
 Coloeus dauuricus (Daurian Jackdaw)
 Coloeus monedula (Western Jackdaw)
 Corvus bennetti (Little Crow)
 Corvus brachyrhynchos (American Crow)
 Corvus caurinus (Northwestern Crow)
 Corvus corax (Common Raven)
 Corvus cornix (Hooded Crow)
 Corvus corone (Carrion Crow)
 Corvus coronoides (Australian Raven)
 Corvus cryptoleucus (Chihuahuan Raven)
 Corvus culminatus (Indian Jungle Crow)
 Corvus enca (Slender-billed Crow)
 Corvus florensis ( Flores Crow)
 Corvus frugilegus (Rook)
 Corvus fuscicapillus (Brown-headed Crow)
 Corvus hawaiiensis (Hawaiian Crow au 'Alala) – zamani Corvus tropicus
 Corvus imparatus (Tamaulipas Crow)
 Corvus insularis (Bismarck Crow)
 Corvus jamaicensis (Jamaican Crow)
 Corvus kubaryi ( Mariana Crow)
 Corvus leucognaphalus (White-necked Crow)
 Corvus levaillantii (Eastern Jungle Crow)
 Corvus macrorhynchos (Large-billed Crow)
 Corvus meeki (Bougainville Crow)
 Corvus mellori (Little Raven)
 Corvus minutus (Cuban Palm Crow)
 Corvus moneduloides (New Caledonian Crow)
 Corvus nasicus (Cuban Crow)
 Corvus orru (Torresian Crow)
 Corvus ossifragus (Fish Crow)
 Corvus palmarum (Hispaniolan Palm Crow)
 Corvus sinaloae (Sinaloan Crow)
 Corvus tasmanicus (Forest Raven)
 Corvus t. boreus (Relict Raven)
 Corvus torquatus (Collared Crow)
 Corvus tristis (Grey Crow)
 Corvus typicus (Piping Crow)
 Corvus unicolor (Banggai Crow)
 Corvus validus (Long-billed Crow)
 Corvus violaceus (Violet Crow)
 Corvus woodfordi (White-billed Crow)
 Crypsirina cucullata (Hooded Treepie)
 Crypsirina temia (Racket-tailed Treepie)
 Cyanocitta cristata (Blue Jay)
 Cyanocitta stelleri (Steller's Jay)
 Cyanocorax affinis (Black-chested Jay)
 Cyanocorax beecheii (Purplish-backed Jay)
 Cyanocorax caeruleus (Azure Jay)
 Cyanocorax cayanus (Cayenne Jay)
 Cyanocorax chrysops (Plush-crested Jay)
 Cyanocorax cristatellus (Curl-crested Jay)
 Cyanocorax cyanomelas (Purplish Jay)
 Cyanocorax cyanopogon (White-naped Jay)
 Cyanocorax dickeyi (Tufted Jay)
 Cyanocorax heilprini (Azure-naped Jay)
 Cyanocorax luxuosus (Green Jay)
 Cyanocorax melanocyaneus (Bushy-crested Jay)
 Cyanocorax mystacalis (White-tailed Jay)
 Cyanocorax sanblasianus (San Blas Jay)
 Cyanocorax violaceus (Violaceous Jay)
 Cyanocorax yncas (Inca Jay)
 Cyanocorax yucatanicus (Yucatan Jay)
 Cyanolyca argentigula (Silvery-throated Jay)
 Cyanolyca armillata (Black-collared Jay)
 Cyanolyca cucullata (Azure-hooded Jay)
 Cyanolyca mirabilis (White-throated Jay)
 Cyanolyca nana (Dwarf Jay)
 Cyanolyca pulchra (Beautiful Jay)
 Cyanolyca pumilo (Black-throated Jay)
 Cyanolyca turcosa (Turquoise Jay)
 Cyanolyca viridicyana (White-collared Jay)
 Cyanopica cooki (Iberian Magpie)
 Cyanopica cyana (Azure-winged Magpie)
 Dendrocitta bayleyi (Andaman Treepie)
 Dendrocitta cinerascens (Bornean Treepie)
 Dendrocitta formosae (Grey Treepie)
 Dendrocitta frontalis (Black-faced au Collared Treepie)
 Dendrocitta leucogastra (White-bellied Treepie)
 Dendrocitta occipitalis (Sumatran Treepie)
 Dendrocitta vagabunda (Rufous Treepie)
 Garrulus lanceolatus (Black-headed au Lanceolated Jay)
 Garrulus lidthi (Lidth's Jay)
 Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus (Pinyon Jay)
 Nucifraga caryocatactes (Spotted Nutcracker)
 Nucifraga columbiana (Clark's Nutcracker)
 Nucifraga multipunctata (Large-spotted Nutcracker)
 Perisoreus canadensis (Gray au Canada Jay au Whiskeyjack)
 Perisoreus infaustus (Siberian Jay)
 Perisoreus internigrans (Sichuan Jay)
 Pica hudsonia (Black-billed Magpie)
 Pica nuttalli (Yellow-billed Magpie)
 Pica pica (Eurasian Magpie)
 Pica p. sericea (Korean Magpie)
 Platylophus galericulatus (Crested Jay) – labda ni jamaa ya Prionopidae au ya Laniidae
 Platysmurus leucopterus (Black Magpie)
 Podoces biddulphi (Biddulph's Ground Jay)
 Podoces hendersoni (Henderson's Ground Jay)
 Podoces panderi (Pander's Ground Jay)
 Podoces pleskei (Pleske's au Persian Ground Jay)
 Psilorhinus morio (Brown Jay)
 Temnurus temnurus (Ratchet-tailed Treepie)
 Urocissa caerulea (Taiwan Blue Magpie)
 Urocissa erythrorhyncha (Red-billed Blue Magpie)
 Urocissa flavirostris (Yellow-billed Magpie)
 Urocissa ornata (Sri Lanka Blue Magpie)
 Urocissa whiteheadi (White-winged Magpie)

Spishi za kabla ya historia
 Corvus antecorax (Mwisho wa Pliocene – mwisho wa Pleistocene ya Ulaya)
 Corvus antipodum (New Zealand Raven)
 Corvus antipodum antipodum (North Island Raven) imekwisha sasa
 Corvus antipodum pycrafti (South Island Raven) imekwisha sasa
 Corvus betfianus
 Corvus fossilis
 Corvus galushai (Mwisho wa Miocene ya Big Sandy, Wickieup, MMA)
 Corvus hungaricus
 Corvus impluviatus ( High-billed Crow) imekwisha sasa
 Corvus larteti (Mwisho wa Miocene ya Ufaransa)
 Corvus moravicus
 Corvus moriorum (Chatham Islands Raven) imekwisha sasa
 Corvus neomexicanus (Mwisho wa Pleistocene ya Dry Cave, MMA)
 Corvus praecorax
 Corvus pliocaenus (Mwisho wa Pliocene – mwanza wa Pleistocene ya Ulaya ya Magharibi-kusini)
 Corvus pumilis (Puerto Rican Crow) – labda nususpishi ya C.nasicus/palmarum
 Corvus simionescui
 Corvus viriosus (Robust Crow) imekwisha sasa
 Pica mourerae (Mwisho wa Pliocene – mwanzo wa Pleistocene ya Mallorca)

Picha

Kunguru na jamaa
Wanyama wa Biblia