Blue Jay
(Cyanocitta cristata)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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The male is slightly larger but otherwise nearly identical to the female. |
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Size |
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11″ to 12½″ in length 16″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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A loud, screaming, jay-jay-jay |
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A high note followed quickly by a low note, the pair often repeated rapidly two or three times, and sounding melodious. It is often called the “rusty pump call.” |
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It can also imitate a red-shouldered hawk. |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Mixed and deciduous forests, agricultural areas, suburban areas, city parks |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common to abundant |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Passeriformes (perching birds) | ||
Family |
Corvidae (crows, jays, and magpies) | ||
Genus |
Cyanocitta (blue and Steller’s jays) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Coastal Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata cristata) Florida Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata semplei) Interior Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata cyanotephra) Northern Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata bromia) |
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Synonyms |
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| Visitor Photos | |||
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| Gregory Gilman | |||
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| Ramona Abrego | |||
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| Lynn Rubey | |||
A Blue Jay flew onto the top of these vines feeding on berries. Along the Ortonville Bike trail. |
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The Blue Jay turned and looked at me and my grand daughter before going back to feeding. |
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The Blue Jay taking off after feeding. |
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| Kathy Ross | |||
...a blue bird sitting on her eggs in a lilac bush next to our deck. It was very easy to take the photos, because she was not going to budge for anything |
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| Trisha | |||
Female Blue Jay |
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| Tom Baker | |||
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| Bill Reynolds | |||
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| MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos | |||
Closeup |
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Bird |
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| Slideshows | ||
| Blue Jay JMC Nature Photos |
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| Blue Jays jt893x |
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| Blue Jay Joshua Mayer |
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About
Cyanocitta cristata |
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| Blue Jay [HD] BlueDesertRoseStudio |
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About
wwImsK2Ggjc From the Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide by Stan Tekiela. |
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| Visitor Videos | |||
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| Other Videos | |||
| Birds USA... Blue Jays groenelantaarn |
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About
Published on Feb 1, 2014 Cyanocitta cristata |
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| Blue Jay - January 26, 2014 Don Gagnon |
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About
Published on Jan 26, 2014 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), Wilderness Garden, Gagnon Wildlife Habitat, Pottersville, Somerset, Massachusetts, Sunday morning, January 26, 2014, 10:59 AM - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS MVI_71788; 8 sec. |
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| Blue Jay, "Fly Away" - December 4, 2013 Don Gagnon |
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About
Published on Dec 4, 2013 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Gagnon Wilderness Habitat, Pottersville, Somerset, Massachusetts, Wednesday afternoon, December 4, 2013, 12:43 PM - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS MVI_57998; 30 sec. Music: "Fly Away-UPPM" by KT (Rock, 0:28) |
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| The Blue Jay Ep. 3 - LoveBirds - Short documentary LesleytheBirdNerd |
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About
Published on Mar 6, 2013 Video content is owned by Lesley Music is owned by Dick kait check out his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/Dickkait |
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