Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
The blue in a Blue Jay's feathers isn't pigment; it's a structural color caused by light scattering through the internal structure of the feathers.
- Scientific name
- Cyanocitta cristata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Corvidae › Cyanocitta
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, as well as residential parks and gardens.
- Diet
- Omnivorous: primarily acorns, nuts, and seeds, but also insects, fruits, and occasionally small vertebrates or eggs.
- Range
- Eastern North America, Central North America, Southern Canada
- Size
- 22-30 cm (9-12 in) length; 70-100g weight
- Lifespan
- 7 to 10 years in the wild
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, window strikes, predation by domestic cats, and West Nile virus.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and observant. They may become defensive or 'dive-bomb' if you approach a nest with fledglings; if this occurs, calmly leave the area. They are not dangerous to humans.
The blue jay ( Cyanocitta cristata ) is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States, although western populations may be migratory. Resident populations are also found in Newfoundland, Canada, while breeding populations can be found in southern Canada. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in residential areas. It is predominantly blue with a white chest and...
Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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