Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of North America.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a member of the Corvidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 88 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 Cyanocitta
- Species cristata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 88 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike in plumage; the male averages slightly larger.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blue Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Blue Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA c, e.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 88 g, with a wing length of about 13 cm and a tail of around 12.1 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 6.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue Jay?
The Blue Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 88 g.
Where does the Blue Jay live?
The Blue Jay is found across North America with a range covering NA c, e, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Blue Jay belong to?
The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blue Jay eat?
The Blue Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Blue Jay migrate?
The Blue Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue 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 Blue Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Blue Jay can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Blue Jay's range?
The Blue Jay has a mapped global range of about 6.7 million 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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Least Concern
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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.
How to Attract Blue Jay to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Blue Jay to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (peanuts), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.
Blue Jay vs Steller’s Jay: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Blue Jay from a Steller’s Jay — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.