California Scrub Jay
Aphelocoma californica
California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma californica) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of North America.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma californica) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 85.7 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 californica
Where it lives
Washington (USA) to Baja California (Mexico)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 85.7 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The California 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 California Scrub Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma californica) is a species of bird in the Corvidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA Washington (USA) to Baja California (Mexico).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 85.7 g, with a wing length of about 12.4 cm and a tail of around 13.9 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 2.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the California Scrub Jay?
The California Scrub Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 85.7 g.
Where does the California Scrub Jay live?
The California Scrub Jay is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA Washington (USA) to Baja California (Mexico), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the California Scrub Jay belong to?
The California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma californica) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the California Scrub Jay eat?
The California Scrub Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the California Scrub Jay migrate?
The California Scrub Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the California Scrub 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 California Scrub Jay make?
1 real field recording of the California Scrub 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 California Scrub Jay's range?
The California Scrub Jay has a mapped global range of about 2.3 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.
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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.