Blue Jay Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBlue Jay
Adult
Blue above and white below, with a prominent crest and a bold black necklace. The wings and tail are barred with black, and it has a bold white wingbar.
© Scott Martin / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 03, 2017Adult
White throat is bordered by a black necklace. Grayish breast and flanks fade to a white belly.
© Ryan Sanderson / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, December 23, 2020Adult (with Red-winged Blackbird)
Blue Jays often come to feeders where they eat many types of seeds, especially sunflower. They hold seeds between their feet and hammer them open. Note the mostly blue tail with white tips, which can be distinctive in flight.
© Eric Liner / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 01, 2006Adult
Spectacular blue color is caused by the scattering of light through specialized feather structures.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, December 24, 2016Adult
Large white tail corners are prominent in flight, along with a black necklace and white underparts.
© Steve Kolbe / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, May 19, 2017Adult
Jays are noisy birds; this one is visibly agitated and calling frequently along with chickadees, cardinals, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and other birds. It's likely they've discovered an owl or hawk and are mobbing it to try to make it leave.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 14, 2014Adult
When viewed head on the black necklace and feathering around the base of the bill are especially prominent.
© Ryan Sanderson / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, December 08, 2019Adult
Eats fruits, acorns, nuts, seeds, and insects.
© Diane St-Jacques / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, November 12, 2019Male and female building nest
Nests are made mostly of twigs and well hidden in trees. Both sexes build the nest; the female usually spends more time arranging twigs and lining the nest with rootlets, grass, and sometimes mud.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 01, 2004Adult
Often visits feeders, sometimes in flocks.
© Suzanne Labbé / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, January 07, 2017Habitat
A bird of forest edges, woodlots, yards, and parks.
© Joe Wujcik / Macaulay LibraryAlabama, December 09, 2019Adult
Note the strong, straight bill and the crest which can be raised or lowered at will. The pale-blue iridescent patches in the wing can glitter or look dull, depending on the angle of light.
© Eric Liner / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 01, 2006Similar SpeciesFlorida Scrub-Jay
Adult
Florida Scrub-Jays lack the Blue Jay's crest, white wingbars, and black necklace.
© Patrick J. Blake / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, February 21, 2017Similar SpeciesSteller's Jay
Adult (Interior)
Steller's Jays don't overlap much with Blue Jays. Their dark crest and underparts quickly separate them from the blue crested and pale underparts of Blue Jays.
© Doug Hitchcox / Macaulay LibraryArizona, January 16, 2017Similar SpeciesWoodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Adult (Woodhouse's)
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays rarely overlap with Blue Jays, but they can readily be separated by the lack of a crest, white wingbars, and black necklace.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryColorado, November 22, 2012Similar SpeciesCalifornia Scrub-Jay
Adult
California Scrub-Jays don't overlap with Blue Jays and lack the Blue Jay's blue crest.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 02, 2011Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Crows, Jays, and Magpies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Corvidae)
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