Photo: Nortondefeis / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Plush-crested Jay
Cyanocorax chrysops
Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of South America.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) is a member of the Corvidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 166 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 Cyanocorax
- Species chrysops
Quick facts
- Weight
- 166 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Plush-crested 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 Plush-crested Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA sc, e.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 166 g, with a wing length of about 15.5 cm and a tail of around 16.4 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 2.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Plush-crested Jay?
The Plush-crested Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 166 g.
Where does the Plush-crested Jay live?
The Plush-crested Jay is found across South America with a range covering SA sc, e, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Plush-crested Jay belong to?
The Plush-crested Jay (Cyanocorax chrysops) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Plush-crested Jay eat?
The Plush-crested Jay is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Plush-crested Jay migrate?
The Plush-crested Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Plush-crested 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 Plush-crested Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Plush-crested 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 Plush-crested Jay's range?
The Plush-crested Jay has a mapped global range of about 2.9 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
More in Corvidae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Corvids
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.