The tufted jay, aka painted jay and Dickey’s jay, is a species of bird in the crow family. They hail from the Sierra Madre Occidental in the Mexican states of Durango, Nayarit, and Sinaloa. These corvids face the threats of habitat loss, due to the cultivation of narcotics and logging; hunting; trapping; road construction, that fragments their territories; and climate change, that can cause severe droughts. The IUCN lists these birds as Near Threatened. Their population trend is listed as decreasing as well.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Cyanocorax dickeyi
Weight: Up to 6.4 ounces
Length: Up to 15 inches, plus up to a 6.74 inch tail
Wingspan: Up to 14 inches
Lifespan: Up to 10 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) These birds were first discovered by American ornithologist Robert Thomas Moore in 1935.
2.) Before a 2010 mitochondrial DNA study that showed that the tufted jay is most closely related to a group of jays from South America, they were thought to be closely related to the white-tailed jay.
3.) These jays have several calls, such as the rapid, 4-note call described as either “rak”, “chuck”, “chen”, or “ca”; a higher-pitched sound used as a mobbing call; a nasal “aaagh” call, when perched next to one another; and a “tuk” or “tst” call when guarding their nest.
4.) Like other corvids, they can mimic other sounds as well, such as the calls of the mockingbird and the great-tailed grackle.
5.) Prior to copulation, these birds produce a “chering-chering” followed by a metallic “bring” duet.
But wait, there’s more on the tufted jay!
6.) Their preferred habitats are higher elevation pine-oak forests, at up to 8,200 foot elevations.
7.) 70% of their diet consists of plant matter, such as blackberries, nuts, acorns, and fruit from Peltostigma plants. The remaining 30% is composed of katydids, beetles, wasps, and other insects. These jays have been observed eating small eggs which have been stolen from other birds’ nests.
Did you know…?
There are fewer than 19,999 wild individuals remaining, to date.
8.) Being a social bird, these corvids are seen living in flocks of up to 16 individuals, during the breeding season. During the non-breeding season, flocks are much larger.
9.) Females lay up to 5 eggs that hatch in up to 19 days. Hatchlings leave the nest in up to 24 days.
10.) While there are no active conservation plans in place for the tufted jay, they are considered endangered by the Mexican government, and at extensive risk of extinction by Partners in Flight.
Now a Short Tufted Jay Video!
This video talks about jays in general.
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
