Photo: Soler97 at English Wikipedia / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Turquoise Jay
Cyanolyca turcosa
Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa) — 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 Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa) is a member of the Corvidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 97.5 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 Cyanolyca
- Species turcosa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 97.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Turquoise 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 Turquoise Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa) belongs to the Corvidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA s Colombia to n Peru.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 97.5 g, with a wing length of about 13.7 cm and a tail of around 14.3 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 62,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Turquoise Jay?
The Turquoise Jay is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 97.5 g.
Where does the Turquoise Jay live?
The Turquoise Jay is found across South America with a range covering SA s Colombia to n Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Turquoise Jay belong to?
The Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Turquoise Jay eat?
The Turquoise Jay is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Turquoise Jay migrate?
The Turquoise Jay is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Turquoise 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 Turquoise Jay make?
1 real field recording of the Turquoise 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 Turquoise Jay's range?
The Turquoise Jay has a mapped global range of about 62,000 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.