Island Scrub Jay
Credit: Bill Bouton

North American field guide

Island Scrub-Jay

Aphelocoma insularis

Also known as:Island Jay

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Identification

Field notes

30- 33 cm (12-13") Common. Endemic to Santa Cruz Island off the coast of Southern California. Scrub oak. 

Blue head with no crest. Blue wings and a long blue tail. Brownish olive-gray back. White throat bordered by a blue-gray streaked necklace band.

In flight; undulating.

Closely related to the Western Scrub-jays found on the adjacent mainland but differs in being larger, more brightly colored, and having a markedly stouter bill.

Song: varied including a rasping "shreeep".

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Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

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

Island Scrub-Jay

1 rule
Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 5
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Olive (yellowish-green) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · 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 ?
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:898-island-scrub-jay:1:1 Source: 898 Island Scrub-Jay, row 1