Mexican Jay Aphelocoma wollweberi
Overview
Description
The Mexican jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) formerly known as the gray-breasted jay, is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States. In May 2011, the American Ornithologists' Union voted to split the Mexican jay into two species, one retaining the common name Mexican jay and one called the Transvolcanic jay. The Mexican jay is a medium-sized jay with blue upper parts and pale gray underparts. It resembles the Woodhouse's scrub-jay, but has an unstreaked throat and breast. It feeds largely on acorns and pine nuts, but includes many other plant and animal foods in its diet. It has a cooperative breeding system where the parents are assisted by other birds to raise their young. This is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".1
Taxonomy
Passeriformes > Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies) > Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens
Subspecies Seen: Mexican Jay (Arizona)
Sightings
Relevant Sightings
- 04-27-2024 - Arizona, United States (First Sighting)
- 04-27-2024 - Arizona, United States (Last Sighting)
Places Seen
- Arizona, United States
Media
Photographs
No photographs available.
Audio Recordings
No audio recordings available.