Cyanocorax beecheii
The Purplish-backed Jay (Cyanocorax beecheii) is a strikingly vibrant corvid endemic to the Pacific slope of western Mexico, a jewel among the Neotropical jays. Measuring 38-43 cm (15-17 inches) in length and weighing 193-228 grams (6.8-8.0 oz), it exhibits a robust build typical of its genus. Its most distinctive features include a glossy black head, neck, and upper chest, contrasting sharply with a brilliant purplish-blue to violet-blue back, wings, and tail. The underparts are a duller blu...
This jay inhabits lowland and foothill dry deciduous forests, thorn scrub, riparian woodlands, and secondary growth up to elevations of approximately 1,000 meters.
An omnivorous species, its diet consists primarily of large insects (beetles, grasshoppers), spiders, small lizards, eggs and nestlings of other birds, various fruits (figs, wild berries), and seeds.
Purplish-backed Jays are highly social, typically found in small family groups of 5-10 individuals, though larger flocks up to 20 can form. They are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging in the mid-story and canopy of trees, occasionally descending to the ground. Cooperative breeding is ...
The Purplish-backed Jay is endemic to the Pacific slope of western Mexico, with a relatively restricted but stable distribution. Its breeding range extends from southern Sinaloa, south through the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima, reaching its southernmost extent in central Michoacán. This ...
Least Concern
- The Purplish-backed Jay is one of Mexico's many endemic bird species, found nowhere else in the world. - Its striking yellow eyes against its black head are a key distinguishing feature among jays. - Like many corvids, they are highly intelligent, capable of problem-solving and complex social i...