Bright blue above and pale gray below with a fluffy crest, this is a familiar but impressive bird found year-round in most of eastern North America.
“Blue Jay” by kengi2000 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a small colorful bird native to North America.
“Blue Jay” from the US Fish and Wildlife Service – Northeast Region is marked with the public domain mark 1.0.
The males and females of this species are similar in plumage that does not vary throughout the year.
These birds live in most of the eastern and central United States, and some eastern populations are migratory.
“American Blue Jay” by anoldent is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Resident populations are found in Newfoundland, Canada, and breeding populations are found in some parts of southern Canada.
“Cyanocytta cristata (Arrendajo azul) and Cardinalis cardinalis (Cardenal del norte) (Newark, Ohio, EE. UU.)” by James St. Louis, Ohio.
The ox jay occupies a variety of habitats within its large range, from the pine forests of Florida to the spruce and spruce forests of northern Ontario.
“Cyanocitta cristata (blue jay) (Newark, Ohio, USA) 8” by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Blue jays are omnivores and eat both plants and animals.
“Blue Jay” by Brian Desrosiers Photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
This species forms monogamous pair bonds for life.
“Blue Jay” by d a murphy is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The young usually fledge between 17 and 21 days after hatching and may remain with their parents for one to two months.
“Blue Jay” by ShenandoahNPS is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
Blue jays are considered to be of least concern on the IUCN Red List.
“Blue Jay” by Dawn Huczek is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
You can see and hear this bird right here in the video below: