Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Cyanocitta

Audio for Species

Call
Song

from Macaulay Library

Species Related Links

Additional Steller's Jay Pictures

Description

Length: 11.8-13.4 in( 30-34 cm) Weight: 3.5-4.9 oz (100-140 g) Wingspan: 17.3 in (44 cm)

Head and crest, neck, upper breast and upper back are black; the crest can have a bluish tint.The tail lower back, rump. and belly are gradations of deep blue; which include indigo and royal blue. the wings and tail have a black barring.

Habitat, Range, and Feeding

They breed and winter in coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forest, open woodland, orchards, and gardens. During winter the higher elevation Jays will move to lower elevations.

The nest is a capacious cup of stems, leaves, moss, and sticks plastered together with mud. With a lining of pine needles, soft rootlets or animal hair. It is usually placed in a conifer. The clutch size is 2 to 6 eggs, that are bluish-green with dark brown, purple, or olive spots.

They like to eat peanuts and other nuts, seeds, berries, insects, eggs, nestlings, small animals, and human refuse.