OTHER NAMES: Jaybird
Latin Etymology: Cyanocitta ("cyan jay") cristata ("crested")
Juvenile Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) at Pratt's Wayne Woods, Illinois, USA - August 2024
Featured Subspecies: Cyanocitta cristata bromia
Weight: 70-100g / Length: 22-30cm / Wingspan: 34-43cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
An iconic bird of North America whole breeding range covers most of the East of the Lower 48. The blue colouration in its feathers isn't caused by pigment but instead by the internal structure of the feathers affecting how light passes through. While a fairly adaptable omnivore, they are particularly talented at storing acorns for later in the year and remembering where they are located. They have been fairly successful at adapting to non-natural habitat like parkland and gardens.
Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Cyanocitta
SUBSPECIES: C. c. bromia, C. c. cristata, C. c. cyanothephra, C. c. semplei
- Sighting Locations -
UNITED STATES - Found in all but the South West of the Lower 48
- CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen several times in St Charles and surroundings, heard more often..
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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