Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Explore this bird

Identification

28-33 cm (11-13") Common. East of Rockies; southern Canada, eastern United States. City parks, suburban yards, oak and pine forests, bird feeders.

Crested head. Brilliant blue upperparts, grayish white below. Black necklace. White spots on wings and tail.

Bold, inquisitive, showy bird; loud both in voice and plumage. Often noisiest in autumn when other birds fall silent.

Song: varied - "jeeaw" or "jay", musical "queedle queedle", mimics Red-tailed Hawk.

Details in the field

1 photo

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

1 video

Blue Jay Calls and Sounds Part 3 And Behavior

Credit: Lesley the Bird Nerd

Where it lives

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

2 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 7

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Blue · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Blue · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:894-blue-jay:1:1 Source: 894 Blue Jay, row 1

Rule 2 14 criteria confidence 2

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Blue · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Blue · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:894-blue-jay:2:1 Source: 894 Blue Jay, row 2