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Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Description:

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 and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It is predominately blue with a white breast and underparts, and a blue crest. It has a black, U-shaped collar around its neck and a black border behind the crest. Sexes are similar in size and plumage, and plumage does not vary throughout the year. The Blue Jay mainly feeds on nuts and seeds such as acorns, soft fruits, arthropods, and occasionally small vertebrates. It typically gleans food from trees, shrubs, and the ground, though it sometimes hawks insects from the air. It builds an open cup nest in the branches of a tree, which both sexes participate in constructing. The clutch can contain two to seven eggs, which are blueish or light brown with brown spots. Young are altricial, and are brooded by the female for 8–12 days after hatching. They may remain with their parents for one to two months before leaving the nest.

Habitat:

It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in residential areas.

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1 Comment

naturewinnie
naturewinnie 12 years ago

Blue Jays are really pretty they are my 2nd favorite bird my 1st is the snowy owl.

MeKay
Spotted by
MeKay

Radcliff, Kentucky, USA

Spotted on Jan 15, 2012
Submitted on Jan 15, 2012

Spotted for Mission

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Reference

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