Canada Jay
(Perisoreus canadensis)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
|
|||||||
| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
|||||||
| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
|||||||
| Minnesota | not listed |
|||||||
Description |
||
|
||
Size |
||
11″ to 13″ in length 18″ wingspan |
||
Voice |
||
Similar Species |
||
Habitat |
||
Coniferous and mixed forests, bogs, fens |
||
Ecology |
||
Migration |
||
|
||
Nesting |
||
|
||
Food |
||
|
||
Distribution |
||||
Occurrence |
||||
Uncommon year-round resident |
||||
Maps |
||||
The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
||||
Taxonomy |
|||
| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Passeriformes (perching birds) | ||
Family |
Corvidae (crows, jays, and magpies) | ||
Genus |
Perisoreus (boreal jays) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
|||
Alberta Jay (Perisoreus canadensis albescens) Anticosti Jay (Perisoreus canadensis barbouri) Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis arcus) Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis bicolor) Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis canadensis) Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis griseus) Labrador Jay (Perisoreus canadensis nigricapillus) Newfoundland Jay (Perisoreus canadensis sanfordi) Oregon Jay (Perisoreus canadensis obscurus) Pacific Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis pacificus) Rocky Mountain Jay (Perisoreus canadensis capitalis) |
|||
Synonyms |
|||
|
|||
Common Name |
|||
This species was originally called Canada Jay, at least from 1851 to 1947. In 1947 the American Ornithological Union (AOU), which became the American Ornithological Society (AOS) when it merged with the Cooper Ornithological Society in 2016), changed the name to Gray Jay. This was to comply with a rule that a subspecies should be named for the region where it is found. It would have given the subspecies of this bird two geographical names, causing confusion. In 1957, the AOU changed that rule and Gray Jay should have been changed back to Canada Jay. That did not happen until 2018. |
|||
Visitor Photos |
|||||
Share your photo of this bird. |
|||||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
|||||
Ramona Abrego |
|||||
Hand feeding |
|||||
 |
|||||
Andy Witchger |
|||||
 |
|||||
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
|||||
|
|||||
Slideshows |
||
| Gray Jay Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
||
|
||
| Gray Jay JMC Nature Photos |
||
|
||
| Gray Jay jt893x |
||
|
||
Visitor Videos |
|||
Share your video of this bird. |
|||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
|||
Other Videos |
|||
| Gray Jays WIld Bird Video Productions |
|||
About
Uploaded on Apr 21, 2011 Gray Jays from the boreal forest of Maine. © 2011 Garth McElroy License at http://www.paya.com/videos/135199 |
|||
| Perisoreus canadensis wetvideocamera |
|||
About
Published on Jun 13, 2012 Gray Jay, Canada Jay, Camp Robber, Whiskeyjack |
|||
| Martin's Cabin Part 6 The Finnicky Gray Jay TheNorthwoodsman1 |
|||
About
Published on Apr 8, 2012 One of Martin's Gray Jays shows its displeasure when it does not like whats on the menu. |
|||
| Gray Jay Nest Cam - Defending The Nest LesleytheBirdNerd |
|||
About
Published on Apr 11, 2013 Check out my Facebook Page to keep up to date https://www.facebook.com/LesleytheBirdNerd?ref=hl |
|||
| Gray Jay Imitating Crow LesleytheBirdNerd |
|||
About
Published on Jun 22, 2013 Jays are notorious for imitating the calls and sounds of predators such as hawks or crows. The jay in this video started making these sounds when a crow showed up and was nearby. This could be a way for them to warn other jays of the potential threat but it may also sometimes be used in a more mischievous way to frighten other birds or animals away from a food source so that they can get at it! Either way they're pretty good at it! Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/#!/LesleytheBirdNerd |
|||
Visitor Sightings |
|||||
Report a sighting of this bird. |
|||||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
|||||
| Carrie Woodley 2/26/2020 |
Location: Montrose, MN |
||||
| Julie Kadlec 2/4/2020 |
Location: Harris, MN Do have a photo. |
||||
| Sharon Sundberg 2/21/2019 |
Location: Duluth, Mn |
||||
| Ramona Abrego 2/19/2017 |
Location: Cook County Gunflint Trail Hand feeding |
|
|||
| Andy Witchger 8/4/2016 |
Location: Sax-Zim Bog |
|
|||
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
|||||
|
|||||
Created: 8/5/2016
Last Updated: