General

Western Scrub-Jay: Medium-sized, crestless jay with blue head, wings and tail, gray mask and back, and pale gray underparts. Dark-streaked, white throat is bordered by dark necklace. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is grayer.

Range and Habitat

Western Scrub-Jay: Resident from Washington, Wyoming, and Colorado south to Texas and Mexico. Preferred habitats include scrub oak, woodlands, and chaparral. Also inhabits suburban gardens.

Breeding and Nesting

Western Scrub-Jay: Two to seven light gray or green eggs spotted with brown, red brown, or olive, are laid in a twiggy nest well hidden in a tree or dense shrub. Incubation ranges from 15 to 17 days and is carried out by the female. Male feeds female during incubation.

Foraging and Feeding

Western Scrub-Jay: Diet consists of insects, grains, small lizards, frogs, fruits, and eggs and young of other birds; forages in trees and on the ground.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Suet, Sunflower Seed

Vocalization

Western Scrub-Jay: Call is a loud, throaty "jay" or "jree." In flight, a long series of "check-check-check" notes are emitted.

Similar Species

Western Scrub-Jay: Mexican Jay has uniform underparts lacking the white throat and dark collar. Pinyon Jay has blue underparts and shorter tail.