California Scrub-Jay or Blue Jay ?

There's more to learn about California Scrub-Jay

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

How to recognise a blue jay?

General appearance

Blue Jays have a distinctive appearance with a size similar to a crow. Their dull blue-gray back contrasts with their bright blue wings and tail. They have a prominent crest, a black necklace and white patterns on their wing-bars and tail corners. The bird's wings are broad, fingered and rounded, possessing a long, rounded and wedge-shaped tail.

Male vs female

Interestingly, there is little to no difference in the physical appearance between male and female Blue Jays. Both sexes exhibit the same coloration and patterns. Any differences are minimal and often indistinguishable to the untrained eye.

Juvenile

Juvenile Blue Jays are similar in appearance to adults but may be slightly duller in color. They also lack the full crest of adult birds until they mature. Still, their inherent blue hue combined with gray, black and white patterns provides a good marker for identification.

Size

9.8 - 11.8 in/2.5 - 3.5 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

Blue Jays prefer deciduous or mixed woods with oak or beech trees. They avoid exclusively coniferous forests.

Additional range

They can also be found in suburban gardens, city parks, groves and towns, sometimes even well-wooded suburbs or low, scrubby forest in their southern range.

Range Map

What do blue jays like to eat?

Natural diet

The blue jay is omnivorous, primarily consuming a diet with a significant portion of vegetable matter. Up to 75% of its diet consists of acorns, beechnuts, other nuts, along with various seeds, grains, berries, and small fruits. In winter, this percentage is higher. Additionally, it eats cultivated fruits. The blue jay's diet also includes many insects like caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers, as well as spiders, snails, and occasionally bird eggs, small rodents, frogs, baby birds, carrion, and other items.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, blue jays are commonly seen eating sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet. They are known for their bold behavior, often dominating the feeding stations they visit.

What does a blue jay sound like?

The vocalizations of the blue jay are varied and rich, including a cacophonous jay-jay, harsh cries, and a host of other calls. Remarkably, one such call is nearly identical to the scream of the Red-shouldered Hawk and the Broad-winged Hawk. Other characteristic sounds include a melodious queedle-queedle. Its call patterns descend in pitch and can be categorized as flat. The types of sounds blue jays emit include chirps, rattles, raucous screams, and whistles.

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

There's more to learn about Blue Jay

California Scrub-Jay

Tap To compare

Blue Jay

California Scrub-Jay

Aphelocoma californica

General appearance

A California scrub-jay is an avian species about the size of a crow or robin, with an impressive wingspan measuring between 28-33 cm. It has a unique coloration pattern, including a white throat framed by a streaked necklace. The bird's back is gray, contrastingly offset by a bold blue head, wings, and tail. Moreover, its tail is distinctive, showcasing a long, rounded, and wedge-shaped figure.

Male vs female

Sexual dimorphism is limited in the California scrub-jay, making it challenging to differentiate males from females based on colour or size alone. Both genders display similar plumage and size. Detailed behavioral observations may be required to accurately distinguish between the two.

Juvenile

Juvenile California scrub-jays exhibit similar coloration to their adult counterparts, although they may have a more dull and less distinctive plumage. They experience a transition to their classic coloration, with the blue becoming much more vivid as they mature into adulthood.

Size

11.0 - 11.8 in/2.5 - 3.5 oz

There's more to learn about California Scrub-Jay

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

General appearance

Blue Jays have a distinctive appearance with a size similar to a crow. Their dull blue-gray back contrasts with their bright blue wings and tail. They have a prominent crest, a black necklace and white patterns on their wing-bars and tail corners. The bird's wings are broad, fingered and rounded, possessing a long, rounded and wedge-shaped tail.

Male vs female

Interestingly, there is little to no difference in the physical appearance between male and female Blue Jays. Both sexes exhibit the same coloration and patterns. Any differences are minimal and often indistinguishable to the untrained eye.

Juvenile

Juvenile Blue Jays are similar in appearance to adults but may be slightly duller in color. They also lack the full crest of adult birds until they mature. Still, their inherent blue hue combined with gray, black and white patterns provides a good marker for identification.

Size

9.8 - 11.8 in/2.5 - 3.5 oz

There's more to learn about Blue Jay

How to tell the California Scrub-Jay from the Blue Jay

Visual differences

The California Scrub-Jay, larger with a 11-13 inch wingspan, features a blue head, wings, and tail contrasted with a gray back and a white throat with a streaked necklace. Its tail is long, rounded, and wedge-shaped. In comparison, the Blue Jay has a 9-12 inch wingspan, a distinct crest, and a prominent black necklace. It showcases dull blue-gray upperparts with bright blue wings and tail adorned with white wing-bars and tail corners. The Blue Jay lacks the California Scrub-Jay's distinctive white throat and streaked necklace.

Key differences and behavior

The California Scrub-Jay and Blue Jay exhibit distinct behaviors and ecological preferences. California Scrub-Jays thrive in oak woodlands and foothill forests, often adapting to suburban areas, while Blue Jays prefer deciduous or mixed forests with oaks. Both species are omnivorous, enjoying seeds and nuts, but Blue Jays have a higher inclination for acorns, even playing a historical role in oak dispersal. California Scrub-Jays exhibit clever behaviors like feeding on parasites from mule deer and holding funerals for their dead. Both birds have monogamous pairings, but Blue Jays uniquely perform aerial courtship displays. Nest-wise, California Scrub-Jays build lower, well-concealed nests, while Blue Jays nest higher, defending loudly if threatened. Interspecies differences in food habits and reproductive behaviors make them distinguishable in the wild.

Still not sure? Here are more lookalikes!

California Scrub-Jay vs Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay

California Scrub-Jay

A bold, clever backyard visitor.

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay

A feisty, clever corvid.

California Scrub-Jay vs Pinyon Jay

California Scrub-Jay

A bold, clever backyard visitor.

Pinyon Jay

California Scrub-Jay vs Mexican Jay

California Scrub-Jay

A bold, clever backyard visitor.

Mexican Jay

California Scrub-Jay vs Florida Scrub-Jay

California Scrub-Jay

A bold, clever backyard visitor.

Florida Scrub-Jay

California Scrub-Jay vs Steller’s Jay

California Scrub-Jay

A bold, clever backyard visitor.

Steller’s Jay

A flashy, noisy blue jay of the west.

California Scrub-Jay vs Western Bluebird

California Scrub-Jay

A bold, clever backyard visitor.

Western Bluebird

Blue Jay vs Florida Scrub-Jay

Blue Jay

Intelligent, loud, and full of personality!

Florida Scrub-Jay

Blue Jay vs Steller’s Jay

Blue Jay

Intelligent, loud, and full of personality!

Steller’s Jay

A flashy, noisy blue jay of the west.

Blue Jay vs Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay

Blue Jay

Intelligent, loud, and full of personality!

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay

A feisty, clever corvid.