Photo: Devon Pike (Devonpike at en.wikipedia) / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Island Scrub Jay
Aphelocoma insularis
Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of North America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) is a member of the Corvidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 85.7 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Aphelocoma
- Species insularis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 85.7 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 Island 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 Island Scrub Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) is a species of bird in the Corvidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA Santa Cruz Island (California).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 85.7 g, with a wing length of about 14 cm and a tail of around 15.4 cm.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 254 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Island Scrub Jay?
The Island Scrub Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 85.7 g.
Where does the Island Scrub Jay live?
The Island Scrub Jay is found across North America with a range covering NA Santa Cruz Island (California), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Island Scrub Jay belong to?
The Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Island Scrub Jay eat?
The Island Scrub Jay is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Island Scrub Jay migrate?
The Island Scrub Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Island Scrub Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Island 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 Island Scrub Jay's range?
The Island Scrub Jay has a mapped global range of about 254 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.