• Order:   Passeriformes
• Family:  Corvidae
• Genus:  Cyanocitta
• Species:  Cristata

Common Names:  Blue Jay, Jay, Geai bleu (French)

General Description/Identifying Characteristics: 

©Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Blue Jay grows to a length of 10-12 inches with a wingspan of 13-17 inches.  Easily recognizable by the crest on its head, the Blue Jay's upperparts are various shades of blue.  Its wings and tail are marked with black bars and white tips.  The Blue Jay's underparts and face are grayish white, and they have a black collar across the upper chest, extending up sides of neck to rear of face connecting to black eyeline.  The tail is fairly long and graduated.  The sexes are alike. 

Habitat: 

©National Audubon Society

Found in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests and woodlands.  Found more along forest edges than in deep forest.  Common in urban and suburban areas, especially where large oaks are present. 

Diet: 

Arthropods, acorns and nuts, fruits, seeds, small vertebrates.  The Blue Jay gleans insects from trees, shrubs, and ground.  Harvest and hides (caches) thousands of acorns and other nuts.  Holds food under feet to peck at it. 

Nesting/Reproduction: 

The Blue Jay's nest consists of an open cup of twigs, grass, and sometimes mud, lined with rootlets.  The eggs are bluish or light brown with brownish spots concentrated  near large end, and the clutch size is typically 2-7 eggs. 

Geographical Distribution/Range: 

Resident from southern Canada through eastern United States to Gulf of Mexico, westward to central Texas and the Great Plains.  Small, locally expanding populations westward to Washington in the north.  Partially migratory, some birds will migrate out of northern part of range, but some jays remain in all parts of range throughout the year.

Interesting Facts: 

Although the migration of Blue Jays is an obvious phenomenon, with thousands moving past some points along the coast, much about it remains a mystery.  Some jays are present throughout the winter in all parts of the range.  Which jays move and which stay put?  Although young jays may be more likely to migrate than adults, many adults do migrate.  Some individual jays may migrate south in one year, stay north the next winter, and then migrate south again the next year.  Why do they migrate the way they do? 

 

References used:  http://www.birds.cornell.edu