Cyanolyca armillata
The Black-collared Jay (Cyanolyca armillata) is a striking Neotropical corvid, celebrated for its deep, iridescent purplish-blue plumage that contrasts sharply with a prominent, velvet-black collar extending from its nape to its upper breast. Measuring approximately 30-34 cm (12-13.5 inches) in length and weighing between 180-210 grams (6.3-7.4 oz), this medium-sized jay possesses a robust build and a relatively heavy bill. Its most distinctive field mark is undoubtedly the black collar, ofte...
Found exclusively in subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, often cloud forests, and sometimes at forest edges or clearings at elevations ranging from 1,600 to 3,000 meters (5,200 to 9,800 feet).
Omnivorous, feeding primarily on a wide variety of arthropods and insects, supplemented by fruits, berries, and occasionally small vertebrates or eggs taken from other nests.
Black-collared Jays are primarily diurnal and typically observed in small, cohesive groups of 3-6 individuals, often joining mixed-species flocks with tanagers, barbets, and other forest birds. They forage actively in the mid-canopy to canopy layers, meticulously searching for food among moss-lad...
The Black-collared Jay is resident across the northern Andes of South America, with its distribution spanning parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and extreme western Venezuela. In Colombia, it is found along the Central and Eastern Andes, extending south into the inter-Andean valleys and slopes. The rang...
Least Concern
- The Black-collared Jay is one of the larger members of the *Cyanolyca* genus, a group known for their striking blue plumages in the Neotropics. - They often forage in the 'epiphyte zone' of cloud forests, meticulously searching for insects and fruits among the dense mosses, lichens, and bromeli...