Photo: Francesco Veronesi / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Jay
Cyanocorax mystacalis
White-tailed Jay (Cyanocorax mystacalis) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-tailed Jay (Cyanocorax mystacalis) is a member of the Corvidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 154 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 mystacalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 154 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tailed 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 White-tailed Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tailed Jay (Cyanocorax mystacalis) is a species of bird in the Corvidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA sw Ecuador and nw Peru.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 154 g, with a wing length of about 14.3 cm and a tail of around 13.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 81,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Jay?
The White-tailed Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 154 g.
Where does the White-tailed Jay live?
The White-tailed Jay is found across South America with a range covering SA sw Ecuador and nw Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-tailed Jay belong to?
The White-tailed Jay (Cyanocorax mystacalis) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-tailed Jay eat?
The White-tailed Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the White-tailed Jay migrate?
The White-tailed Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tailed 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 White-tailed Jay make?
1 real field recording of the White-tailed Jay — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-tailed Jay's range?
The White-tailed Jay has a mapped global range of about 81,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Corvidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
More in Corvids
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
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.