Steller's Jay Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSteller's Jay
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.
© Jeff Maw / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 16, 2017Adult (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.
© Todd Dixon / Macaulay LibraryColorado, July 05, 2016Adult (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.
© Bradley Hacker 🦜 / Macaulay LibraryChiapas, April 12, 2019Juvenile
Juveniles look similar to adults but have a smaller crest and are often paler gray.
© Amy Clark Courtney / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, August 09, 2017Adult (Coastal)
Steller's Jays often push their crest feathers up during courtship and aggressive interactions.
© Nigel Voaden / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 06, 2015Adult (Interior)
Often forages on the ground, hopping around looking to eat almost anything that will fit in its mouth.
© Doug Hitchcox / Macaulay LibraryArizona, January 16, 2017Adult (Coastal)
Very vocal bird that makes growls, creaks, rattles, and squawks of all kinds.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 24, 2014Habitat
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.
© Joshua Covill / Macaulay LibraryMontana, December 14, 2016Juveniles (Coastal)
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 29, 1997Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesCalifornia Scrub-Jay
Adult
California Scrub-Jays lack the Steller's Jay's prominent crest and dark head and underparts.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 02, 2011Similar SpeciesWoodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Adult (Woodhouse's)
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays have a round blue head unlike the dark crested head of Steller's Jays.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryColorado, November 22, 2012Similar SpeciesPinyon Jay
Adult
Pinyon Jays lack the Steller's Jay's crest. They also have a shorter tail than Steller's Jays.
© Greg Gillson / Macaulay LibraryOregon, June 04, 2009Similar SpeciesBlue Jay
Adult
Blue Jays have little range overlap with Steller's Jays. Blue Jays have whitish underparts and a blue crest unlike Steller's, which have black-and-blue underparts and a black crest.
© bellemare celine / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, February 03, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Crows, Jays, and Magpies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Corvidae)
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