Photo: Zeynel Cebeci / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandarius
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 159 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 Garrulus
- Species glandarius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 159 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 Eurasian 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 Eurasian Jay is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR widespread, also nw Africa.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 159 g, with a wing length of about 18.1 cm and a tail of around 14.7 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 19.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eurasian Jay?
The Eurasian Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 159 g.
Where does the Eurasian Jay live?
The Eurasian Jay is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR widespread, also nw Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Eurasian Jay belong to?
The Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Eurasian Jay eat?
The Eurasian Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Eurasian Jay migrate?
The Eurasian Jay is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Eurasian 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 Eurasian Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Eurasian Jay — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Eurasian Jay's range?
The Eurasian Jay has a mapped global range of about 19.5 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.