Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
Woodhouse's Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of North America.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 90.2 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Aphelocoma
- Species woodhouseii
Where it lives
Northwestern USA (Oregon, Idaho) south to Guerrero and central, eastern Oaxaca
Quick facts
- Weight
- 90.2 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA nw USA (Oregon, Idaho) s to Guerrero and c, e Oaxaca.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 90.2 g, with a wing length of about 12.8 cm and a tail of around 13.4 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay?
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 90.2 g.
Where does the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay live?
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA nw USA (Oregon, Idaho) s to Guerrero and c, e Oaxaca, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay belong to?
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay eat?
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay migrate?
The Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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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Least Concern
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
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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.