Photo: Neil Orlando Diaz Martinez / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-chested Jay
Cyanocorax affinis
Black-chested Jay (Cyanocorax affinis) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-chested Jay (Cyanocorax affinis) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 212 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 affinis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 212 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-chested Jay is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-chested Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-chested Jay (Cyanocorax affinis) is a species of bird in the Corvidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to nw Venezuela.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 212 g, with a wing length of about 16.8 cm and a tail of around 16 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 473,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-chested Jay?
The Black-chested Jay is a large bird that weighs around 212 g.
Where does the Black-chested Jay live?
The Black-chested Jay is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to nw Venezuela, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-chested Jay belong to?
The Black-chested Jay (Cyanocorax affinis) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-chested Jay eat?
The Black-chested Jay is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Black-chested Jay migrate?
The Black-chested Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-chested 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 Black-chested Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Black-chested 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 Black-chested Jay's range?
The Black-chested Jay has a mapped global range of about 473,000 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
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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.