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Home/Species/ California Scrub Jay

Aphelocoma californica

(Vigors, 1839)

California Scrub Jay

G5Secure Found in 131 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.963974
Element CodeABPAV06070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyCorvidae
GenusAphelocoma
Other Common Names
California scrub jay (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). Chesser, R.T., K.J. Burns, C. Cicero, J.L. Dunn, A.W. Kratter, I.J. Lovette, P.C. Rasmussen, J.V. Remsen, Jr., J.D. Rising, D.F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2016. Fifty-seventh Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk 133:544-560.
Taxonomic Comments
Formerly considered conspecific with A. woodhouseii, but treated as separate on the basis of differences in ecology, morphology, genetics, and vocalizations; although the two species do interbreed, the hybrid zone is narrow, and there is evidence for selection against hybrids (Gowen et al. 2014) (AOU 2016).
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-12-02
Change Date1996-12-02
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
RESIDENT: southwestern Washington south through western and central Oregon, California (except eastern mountains), and northwestern and west-central Nevada to southern Baja California (AOU 1998). CASUAL in southwestern British Columbia (Langley) and eastern Washington (AOU 1998).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A crestless jay with a blue head, thin white eyebrow line, blue wings, long blue tail, whitish throat bordered by a streaked blue-gray breast band, and a bluish-gray or pale brownish back; juveniles are grayish above, with blue on the wings and tail; brightness and contrast of plumage varies geographically, with birds of interior populations duller overall and with less color contrast and a less conspicuous breast band (NGS 1983, Peterson 1990). Bill shape varies with habitat and available foods (short hooked bill in oak woodlands, long pointed bill in pinyon-juniper woodlands) (Peteron 1993). See Kaufman (1990) for detailed information on identification of scrub and gray-breasted jays.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Gray-breasted (Mexican) jay is grayer, lacks strong contrast between throat and breast, lacks white eyebrow. Pinyon jay is more uniformly blue and has a blue throat with white streaks; scrub-jay's tail is much longer than that of the pinyon jay.

Habitat

Scrub (especially oak, pinyon and juniper), brush, chaparral and pine-oak associations; also riparian woodland, gardens, orchards, mangroves (southern Baja California), and tropical deciduous forest (southern Mexico) (Subtropical and Temperate zones, upper Tropical Zone in southern Mexico) (AOU 1983, 1995). Nests usually in low trees or shrubs, 0.5-3.5 m above ground (Terres 1980).

Ecology

Travels alone or in small family groups. In Oaxaca, Mexico, occurred in temporally stable groups of 2-6 adults; territories averaged 1.5 ha (Burt and Peterson 1993). In coastal California, territories averaged "about 3 ha" (Verbeek 1973), and in New Mexico, a single territory measured 2.1 ha (Hardy 1961).

Reproduction

In Oaxaca, Mexico, nested at least from early April to late July (Burt and Peterson 1993). Clutch size is 2-7 (usually 4-6; 3 in Oaxaca, with reduction to 2 fledglings typical). Incubation lasts about 16 days, by female. Young are tended by parents and (in Oaxaca) young of previous brood. Young leave nest at about 18 days. First breeds as early as 1 year in some areas. Long-term pair bond. High adult survivorship. Breeds only in pairs in most of range (except southern end of range in Mexico). In Oaxaca, helpers aided in predator defense, territorial defense, and feeding fledglings; singular breeding was the norm (Burt and Peterson 1993).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNUB
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaSUBYes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS5Yes
WashingtonS4Yes
IdahoS4Yes
NevadaS3Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Roadless Areas (131)
California (109)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Bald RockPlumas National Forest4,675
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Cahuilla MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,952
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
Callahan FlowModoc National Forest6,618
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
ChanchelullaShasta-Trinity National Forest3,915
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
ChinquapinShasta-Trinity National Forest22,040
Circle MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,375
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
CuyamaLos Padres National Forest19,631
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Dobie FlatModoc National Forest15,079
Domeland Add.Sequoia National Forest3,046
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
EagleShasta-Trinity National Forest6,553
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Garcia MountainLos Padres National Forest7,850
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
Jennie LakeSequoia National Forest2,388
La BreaLos Padres National Forest14,031
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
LavasModoc National Forest25,864
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Little PineLos Padres National Forest1,315
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
Mirada PimeLos Padres National Forest13,302
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
Mt. HoffmanModoc National Forest9,780
Mt. Shasta BShasta-Trinity National Forest2,809
Mystic (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest836
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
North Fork Middle Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest11,245
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
QuatalLos Padres National Forest7,253
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
Salt GulchShasta-Trinity National Forest6,511
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sawmill - BadlandsLos Padres National Forest51,362
Sespe - FrazierLos Padres National Forest106,910
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Sheep MountainAngeles National Forest21,098
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Skeleton GladeMendocino National Forest9,237
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
SoliderSix Rivers National Forest14,918
South ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest16,786
South SierraSequoia National Forest8,008
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
SugarloafSan Bernardino National Forest8,206
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
Waterhouse BHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
Wild Horse Mtn. (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,822
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Montana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cube Iron - SilcoxLolo National Forest36,998
Nevada (10)
AreaForestAcres
Jobs Peak (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,342
Mystic (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,644
Rose - Alum CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest853
Rose - Davis Mdw.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,361
Rose - Dutch LouieHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest363
Rose - EvansHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,782
Rose - Hunter EastHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest54
Rose - NortheastHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest550
Rose - VerdiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,155
Rose - Whites CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,568
Oregon (7)
AreaForestAcres
Calf - Copeland CreekUmpqua National Forest15,696
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Mcclellan MountainMalheur National Forest21,213
Sky Lakes AWinema National Forest3,940
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long SwampOkanogan National Forest66,344
References (23)
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  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
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  5. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
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  14. Peterson, A. T. 1991. Gene flow in scrub jays: frequency and direction of movement. Condor 93:926-934.
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  16. Peterson, A. T. 1993. Adaptive geographical variation in bill shape of scrub jays (APHELOCOMA COERULESCENS). Am. Nat. 142:508-527.
  17. Peterson, R. T. 1990b. A field guide to western birds. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 432 pp.
  18. Phillips, A. R. 1986. The known birds of North and Middle America: distribution and variations, migrations, changes, hybrids, etc. Part I, Hirundinidae to Mimidae, Certhiidae. Published by the author, Denver, Colorado. lxi + 259 pp.
  19. Sibley, C.G., and B.L. Monroe, Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. xxiv + 1111 pp.
  20. Sibley, D. A. 2000a. The Sibley guide to birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  21. Stith, B. M., J. W. Fitzpatrick, G. E. Woolfenden, and B. Pranty. 1996. Classification and conservation of metapopulations: a case study of the Florida scrub jay. Pages 187- 215 IN D. R. McCullough, editor. Metapopulations and wildlife conservation. Island Press, Washington, D.C.
  22. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  23. Verbeek, N.A.M. 1973. The exploitation system of the yellow-billed magpie. University of California Publications in Zoology, Vol. 99, University of California Press, Berkeley.