Latin name: Aphelocoma coerulescens

Scrub Jays appear slimmer than most other jays and have long, narrow tails. Their contrasting plumage pattern is distinctive. These jays inhabit a variety of bushy areas from chaparral, open woodlands, and residential areas in the Pacific States to piñion juniper and scrub-oak in the interior West and humid scrub-oak communities in Florida.

Scrub Jays often fly long distances from one conspicous perch to another. Their flight involves vigorous flapping, frequently interrupted as the bird drops in a shallow arc on stiffly spread wings and tail or on closed wings.

Description: 11-13" (28-33 cm). There is a fair amount of geographical variation in this crestless species; differences in size and in the shade and extent of blue occur on the upperparts and underparts. The upperparts, including the wings and tail, are rich, deep blue, except for the back, which is a contrasting brown to gray-brown. The throat and upper breast are whitish with narrow, bluish streaking, boldly separated from the gray underparts by a jagged, blue to blue-gray necklace; this necklace may be diffuse and incomplete, depending on race. The undertail coverts are whitish to bluish, varying among the subspecies.

Voice : A very harsh, often-repeated ike-ike-ike, with slight upward inflection; longer, rough, slightly metallic, sharply rising iennuk; rough, rapidly repeated quick-quick-quick; also several usually raucous variations.

Similar Species : Gray-breasted Jay stouter, usually shows less contrast and duller coloring; mask paler; lacks white eyebrows, white on throat, and bluish necklace. Immature Gray-breasted stouter, with shorter, less rounded tails. Calls and habitats different.

Range: Resident from southwestern Washington to southwestern Wyoming and Colorado, south to Baja California, cent ral Texas, and into southern Mexico. Also isolated populations on Santa Cruz Island off California, and in cent ral Florida.