Aphelocoma woodhouseii
The Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, a quintessential inhabitant of western North American arid and semi-arid landscapes, is a medium-sized passerine, measuring approximately 27-30 cm (10.5-12 in) in length with a wingspan of 38-43 cm (15-17 in) and weighing 70-90 g (2.5-3.2 oz). It is characterized by its deep azure blue head, wings, and tail, contrasting with a dull grey-brown back and pale greyish-white underparts, often with a faint, incomplete blue necklace on the chest. Unlike its close relatives...
Found primarily in dry scrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and oak woodlands, typically at mid-elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,500 meters (4,000 to 8,200 feet).
Highly omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of items including acorns, pine nuts, other seeds, fruits, berries, insects (beetles, grasshoppers), spiders, small reptiles, eggs, and nestlings of other birds. Foraging primarily involves gleaning and caching.
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays are diurnal and highly active, spending their days foraging and caching food, often roosting communally in dense vegetation at night. Their foraging strategies are highly varied; they glean insects and other invertebrates from foliage and the ground, probe for hidden items,...
The Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay is a non-migratory resident species, primarily inhabiting the interior western United States and northern Mexico. Its breeding and year-round range extends across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, western Wyoming, and parts of eastern California (especially th...
Least Concern
- Until 2016, the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay was considered part of the 'Western Scrub-Jay' complex; genetic and morphological differences led to its recognition as a distinct species. - These jays possess an extraordinary memory, capable of recalling the locations of thousands of cached food items, s...