Cyanolyca pumilo
The Black-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo) is a striking, relatively small and slender member of the Corvidae family, measuring around 23-25 cm (9-10 inches) in length and weighing about 60-70 grams. Its most distinctive feature is a velvety black throat and face, sharply delineated from the deep, iridescent purplish-blue plumage that covers its head, nape, back, and underparts. Bright white spots above and below the eyes (supraocular and postocular spots) create a piercing, alert expression, ...
This species is a specialist of humid montane evergreen and cloud forests, typically found at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters (3,300 to 9,800 feet), preferring areas with dense understory and ample epiphyte growth.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, and spiders, supplemented by small fruits and berries, which they glean from foliage and branches.
Black-throated Jays are diurnal birds, often observed moving in small, cohesive family groups of 3-7 individuals, or occasionally joining mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly with other forest passerines. They are active foragers, primarily gleaning insects and other arthropods from foliag...
The Black-throated Jay is a resident species endemic to the humid montane cloud forests of southern Mexico and Central America. Its distribution extends from the highlands of Chiapas in southern Mexico, through the mountainous regions of Guatemala, to central El Salvador and western Honduras. It ...
Least Concern
- The Black-throated Jay is the smallest member of the *Cyanolyca* genus, a group of striking Neotropical jays. - Its scientific name, *pumilo*, is Latin for "dwarf," referring to its relatively small size compared to other jays. - Despite its vivid coloration, this jay is notoriously difficult t...