Photo: Francesco Veronesi / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Unicolored Jay
Aphelocoma unicolor
Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) — 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 Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 124 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 Aphelocoma
- Species unicolor
Quick facts
- Weight
- 124 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Unicolored Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Unicolored Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA c Mexico to w Honduras.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 124 g, with a wing length of about 16.9 cm and a tail of around 15.4 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 149,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Unicolored Jay?
The Unicolored Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 124 g.
Where does the Unicolored Jay live?
The Unicolored Jay is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA c Mexico to w Honduras, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Unicolored Jay belong to?
The Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Unicolored Jay eat?
The Unicolored Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Unicolored Jay migrate?
The Unicolored Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Unicolored 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 Unicolored Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Unicolored 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 Unicolored Jay's range?
The Unicolored Jay has a mapped global range of about 149,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.