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Pinyon Jay

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalusOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Crows and Jays (Corvidae)

Breeding Location:

Open landscapes, Mountains



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial



Breeding Population:

Common in habitat



Egg Color:

Pale blue or green



Number of Eggs:

3 - 5



Incubation Days:

16 - 17



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

Sticks, bark, grasses, stems, roots, hair, and paper.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

Pinyon Jay: Small, crestless, stocky jay with blue-gray body. Head is darker blue and has pale streaks on throat. Tail is short. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds on pine seeds, grain, fruit, berries, insects and eggs and young of other birds. Steady bouyant and direct flight with deep wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Pinyon Jay: Resident from central Oregon and Montana southward to central Arizona, New Mexico, and extreme northwestern Oklahoma. Preferred habitats include ponderosa pines, pinyon-junipers, and forests of mixed pine and oaks.

Breeding and Nesting

Pinyon Jay: Three to five pale blue or green eggs are laid in a twiggy cup nest; often nests in loose colonies. Incubation ranges from 16 to 17 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Pinyon Jay: Diet consists of nuts, pine seeds, grass seeds, berries, fruits, insects, and eggs and young of small birds; also boldly approaches human habitations for scraps. Forages in mountain conifers at elevations of 3,000 to 8,000 feet.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Suet, Sunflower Seed

Vocalization

Pinyon Jay: Makes an assortment of calls, including a warning "crauk-crauk" and nasal caw "kaa-eh", with lower second note.

Similar Species

Pinyon Jay: Western Scrub-Jay has a longer tail, pale gray underparts, white throat outlined with a blue necklace, and brown back patch. Steller's Jay is crested and has blue upperparts and black underparts.

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Family Jays and Magpies (Corvidae)_blue
Species Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
Length10.5 Inches
Wingspan15 Inches

Pinyon Jay

Pinyon Jay: Small, crestless, stocky jay with blue-gray body. Head is darker blue and has pale streaks on throat. Tail is short. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds on pine seeds, grain, fruit, berries, insects and eggs and young of other birds. Steady bouyant and direct flight with deep wing beats.

● Song: "crauk-crauk", "kaa-eh"

● Foraging & Feeding: Pinyon Jay: Diet consists of nuts, pine seeds, grass seeds, berries, fruits, insects, and eggs and young of small birds; also boldly approaches human habitations for scraps. Forages in mountain conifers at elevations of 3,000 to 8,000 feet.

● Breeding & nesting: Pinyon Jay: Three to five pale blue or green eggs are laid in a twiggy cup nest; often nests in loose colonies. Incubation ranges from 16 to 17 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Pinyon Jay: Western Scrub-Jay has a longer tail, pale gray underparts, white throat outlined with a blue necklace, and brown back patch. Steller's Jay is crested and has blue upperparts and black underparts.

Flight Pattern

Buoyant flight with steady wingbeats.
Pinyon Jay Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Pinyon Jay: Resident from central Oregon and Montana southward to central Arizona, New Mexico, and extreme northwestern Oklahoma. Preferred habitats include ponderosa pines, pinyon-junipers, and forests of mixed pine and oaks.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationCommon in habitat
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight3.6 Ounces