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Mexican Jay

Aphelocoma ultramarinaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Crows and Jays (Corvidae)

Breeding Location:

Forests, coniferous



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Cooperative, Gregarious.



Breeding Population:

Fairly common to common



Egg Color:

Pale green eggs with green markings



Number of Eggs:

4 - 7



Incubation Days:

16 - 18



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

Twigs, Lined with fine grass, hair, twigs and roots.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

Mexican Jay: Large, crestless jay, blue-gray back, blue head, wings, rump, tail, and pale gray underparts. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds primarily on acorns, also eats insects, fruit, carrion and eggs and young of other birds. Slow steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.

Range and Habitat

Mexican Jay: Ranges from the north in central Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and west-central Texas through the eastern central mountain chain south to Puebla, Guerrero, and central Veracruz, and west to Jalisco and Colima. Preferred habitats include pine, oak, and juniper woodlands.

Breeding and Nesting

Mexican Jay: Four to seven pale green eggs with green markings are laid in a nest made of twigs with an inner layer of rootlets, lined with fine grass, hair, twigs and roots, and built from 6 to 30 feet above the ground on a horizontal branch or crotch of an oak or conifer. Incubation ranges from 16 to 18 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Mexican Jay: Acorns are a staple, but it also eats fruits, insects, carrion, and eggs and young birds. Forages on the ground and in trees; caches acorns and other nuts; holds food under its feet to peck it open.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Suet, Sunflower Seed

Vocalization

Mexican Jay: Song is raucous, ringing "weenk", often heard in series. Calls include "wait-wait-wait" and a soft "coo."

Similar Species

Mexican Jay: Western Scrub-Jay has gray-brown back, blue necklace across the breast, and white eyebrow. Pinyon Jay has a short tail, blue breast, and long, pointed bill.

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Family Jays and Magpies (Corvidae)_blue
Species Aphelocoma ultramarina
Length11 - 13 Inches
Wingspan15 Inches

Mexican Jay

Mexican Jay: Large, crestless jay, blue-gray back, blue head, wings, rump, tail, and pale gray underparts. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds primarily on acorns, also eats insects, fruit, carrion and eggs and young of other birds. Slow steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.

● Song: "wait-wait-wait", "coo"

● Foraging & Feeding: Mexican Jay: Acorns are a staple, but it also eats fruits, insects, carrion, and eggs and young birds. Forages on the ground and in trees; caches acorns and other nuts; holds food under its feet to peck it open.

● Breeding & nesting: Mexican Jay: Four to seven pale green eggs with green markings are laid in a nest made of twigs with an inner layer of rootlets, lined with fine grass, hair, twigs and roots, and built from 6 to 30 feet above the ground on a horizontal branch or crotch of an oak or conifer. Incubation ranges from 16 to 18 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Mexican Jay: Western Scrub-Jay has gray-brown back, blue necklace across the breast, and white eyebrow. Pinyon Jay has a short tail, blue breast, and long, pointed bill.

Flight Pattern

Slow steady buoyant wing beats. Glides between perches within trees, between trees and from trees to ground.
Mexican Jay Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Mexican Jay: Ranges from the north in central Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and west-central Texas through the eastern central mountain chain south to Puebla, Guerrero, and central Veracruz, and west to Jalisco and Colima. Preferred habitats include pine, oak, and juniper woodlands.
BreedingMonogamous, Cooperative, Gregarious.
PopulationFairly common to common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight4.3 Ounces