Cyanocorax cayanus
The stunning Cayenne Jay (Cyanocorax cayanus) is a captivating member of the Corvidae family, instantly recognizable by its vivid cobalt blue plumage contrasting sharply with a glossy black head, throat, and upper breast. Its underparts from the belly downwards are a clean white, providing a striking tripartite coloration. Measuring approximately 33 cm (13 inches) in length and weighing around 150-180 grams, it boasts a relatively long tail and a robust bill typical of its genus. Distinctive ...
This adaptable jay primarily inhabits open woodlands, savanna borders, gallery forests, and the edges of cultivated areas. It is typically found in lowland areas, though it can occur up to elevations of about 1200 meters.
The Cayenne Jay is an opportunistic omnivore, feeding primarily on a diverse array of insects, fruits, seeds, and occasionally small vertebrates or eggs. It forages actively by gleaning from vegetation, probing bark, and searching on the ground.
Cayenne Jays are highly social, diurnal birds often observed in small, cohesive family groups of 3-10 individuals, sometimes congregating into larger foraging flocks. They employ a variety of foraging strategies, gleaning insects and fruits from foliage, probing bark crevices, and actively search...
The Cayenne Jay boasts a relatively widespread distribution across northern South America, being a non-migratory, resident species throughout its range. It is primarily found from eastern Venezuela, across Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, extending south into northern and central Brazil. In V...
Least Concern
- The Cayenne Jay is a cooperative breeder, meaning non-breeding individuals (often older offspring) help the breeding pair raise their young. - They are known for their striking tripartite coloration: bright blue on the back, glossy black on the head and chest, and clean white on the belly. - De...