Cyanocorax sanblasianus
The San Blas Jay (Cyanocorax sanblasianus) is a striking medium-sized corvid endemic to Mexico's Pacific coast, typically measuring 28-31 cm (11-12 inches) in length and weighing around 125-150 grams. Its plumage is almost entirely glossy black with a rich purplish-blue sheen, particularly noticeable in good light, a characteristic shared by few other jays. A subtle, shaggy crest often adorns its head, though it's less pronounced than in some of its relatives. Distinctive field marks include ...
Found primarily in tropical deciduous forests, thorn scrub, mangrove edges, and semi-open agricultural areas along the Pacific coast of Mexico, typically from sea level up to about 1,200 meters (4,000 feet).
An omnivorous species, feeding on a wide range of items including large insects, spiders, fruits, seeds, small lizards, eggs, and nestlings of other birds; foraging occurs primarily in trees and shrubs.
San Blas Jays are highly diurnal and gregarious, spending their days actively foraging and often gathering in large, noisy communal roosts at night, sometimes numbering hundreds of individuals. They employ diverse foraging strategies, gleaning insects and fruits from foliage, probing bark crevice...
The San Blas Jay is endemic to the Pacific slope of western Mexico, primarily found in a relatively narrow coastal strip. Its breeding range extends from central Nayarit south through Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero, and west-central Oaxaca. This species is non-migratory, remaining in its es...
Least Concern
- The San Blas Jay is one of the "black-and-blue jays" of the Cyanocorax genus, distinguished by its mostly black plumage with iridescent purplish-blue sheens. - Unlike many jays, juveniles of the San Blas Jay have bright yellow bills and legs, which gradually darken to black as they mature. - Th...