Species guide
Blue Jay: how to recognise it
A bird of North America. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Judy Gallagher · CC BY · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Cyanocitta cristata
- Family
- Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Size
- About 25–30 cm
- Habitat
- Woodland, parks and gardens
- Found in
- North America
The key marks
Bright blue above with a pointed crest, a white face, a black necklace and white spots on the wings and tail.
Voice
A loud, harsh “jay-jay” and many other calls.
Good to know
It can mimic the call of a hawk, and it buries acorns, which helps oak trees spread.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in woodland, parks and gardens. It is especially common in Canada, Texas and the United States. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.