Photo: Nicolas Huet / Jean Gabriel Prêtre / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Purplish Jay
Cyanocorax cyanomelas
Purplish Jay (Cyanocorax cyanomelas) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purplish Jay (Cyanocorax cyanomelas) is a member of the Corvidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 207 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Cyanocorax
- Species cyanomelas
Where it lives
Southern Peru, Bolivia and southwestern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 207 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purplish Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Purplish Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purplish Jay (Cyanocorax cyanomelas) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Peru, Bolivia and sw Brazil through Paraguay to n Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 207 g, with a wing length of about 18.8 cm and a tail of around 16.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purplish Jay?
The Purplish Jay is a large bird that weighs around 207 g.
Where does the Purplish Jay live?
The Purplish Jay is found across South America with a range covering SA s Peru, Bolivia and sw Brazil through Paraguay to n Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Purplish Jay belong to?
The Purplish Jay (Cyanocorax cyanomelas) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purplish Jay eat?
The Purplish Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Purplish Jay migrate?
The Purplish Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purplish Jay endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Purplish Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Purplish Jay — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Purplish Jay's range?
The Purplish Jay has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Feeders for Jays & Larger Garden Birds
How to choose a feeder for jays and other big, bold garden birds — the styles that suit peanuts and larger food, and how to keep them from crowding your small-bird feeders. A decision framework with the species in the Birbs encyclopedia.