California Scrub-Jay Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A fairly large songbird with lanky dimensions. The tail is long and floppy; the bird often adopts a hunched-over posture. The bill is straight and stout, with a hook at the tip.

  Relative Size

  Larger and bulkier than a Western Bluebird; smaller than an American Crow.

  between robin and crow

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 11.0-11.8 in (28-30 cm)
    • Weight: 2.5-3.5 oz (70-100 g)
    • Wingspan: 15.3 in (39 cm)

  © Nancy Christensen / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Rich azure blue and gray above, with a clean, pale underside broken up by a blue necklace. In birds, the color blue depends on lighting, so California Scrub-Jays can also look simply dark.

• Behavior

  Assertive, vocal, and inquisitive. You’ll often notice scrub-jays silhouetted high in trees, on wires, or on posts where they act as lookouts. In flight seems underpowered and slow, with bouts of fluttering alternating with glides.
• Habitat

  Look for California Scrub-Jays in open habitats, oak woodlands, and chaparral along the West Coast, as well as in backyards, pastures, and orchards. Typically, though not always, in lower and drier habitats than Steller’s Jay.