Steller's Jay Similar Species Comparison

Adult (Coastal)

Hefty, crested bird with an attitude. They are half charcoal black and half blue. Adults along the Pacific Coast have blue streaks on their black crest.

Adult (Interior)

Bold, inquisitive, and noisy bird of western evergreen forests. Its black crest and blue lower body separate it from similar jays. Birds in the interior have white streaks on their crest.

Adult (Coastal)

Adult (Central American)

Plumage color of residents in Middle America varies, but most are bluer overall. Residents in Chiapas, Mexico south to Guatemala for example, have brighter blue bodies and shorter blue crests.

Juvenile

Juveniles look similar to adults but have a smaller crest and are often paler gray.

Adult (Interior)

Adult (Coastal)

Steller's Jays often push their crest feathers up during courtship and aggressive interactions.

Adult (Interior)

Often forages on the ground, hopping around looking to eat almost anything that will fit in its mouth.

Adults (Coastal)

Adult (Coastal)

Very vocal bird that makes growls, creaks, rattles, and squawks of all kinds.

Habitat

Found in evergreen and mixed-evergreen forests in the western U.S., as well as parks, campgrounds, backyards, and pine-oak woodlands in the Southwest.

Juveniles (Coastal)