Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-throated Jay
Cyanolyca pumilo
Black-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo) — 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-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 47 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 Cyanolyca
- Species pumilo
Quick facts
- Weight
- 47 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-throated Jay is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-throated Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA s Mexico to nw Honduras.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 47 g, with a wing length of about 11.8 cm and a tail of around 11.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 103,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-throated Jay?
The Black-throated Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 47 g.
Where does the Black-throated Jay live?
The Black-throated Jay is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA s Mexico to nw Honduras, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-throated Jay belong to?
The Black-throated Jay (Cyanolyca pumilo) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-throated Jay eat?
The Black-throated Jay is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-throated Jay migrate?
The Black-throated Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-throated 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-throated Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Black-throated 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-throated Jay's range?
The Black-throated Jay has a mapped global range of about 103,000 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.