Green Jay
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| Green Jay | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image Cyanocorax_yncas_1.jpg | ||||||||||||||
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| Cyanocorax yncas (Boddaert, 1783) |
The Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas) is a bird species with distinct regional forms within its large but discontinuous range. This stretches from southern Texas south into Mexico and Central America, and then a break occurs before it reappears in a broad sweep across the top of the South American continent in Colombia and Venezuela.
The top of the head, cheeks and nape of this species are yellowish-white with blue tips to the feathers, though some forms have more blue than others. The breast and underparts are bright yellow, fading to cream in worn plumage. The upper parts of this bird are a rich green.
There are especially large nasal bristles that form a distinct crest in some of the geogaphical forms, but are less developed in others. There is a black bib which forms a thick band up to the sides of the head as well as a stripe through the eye line and one above it.
Green Jay feeds on a wide range of insects and other invertebrates including acorns and various cereal grains. Ebony seeds are taken where they occur, and the same can be said for any oak species' acorns as this jay will readily store them for hard times. Meat and human scraps are also taken when opportunity arises.
The nest is usually in a tree or thorny bush or thicket, and the bird lays 3-5 eggs. Only the female incubates, but both parents take care of the young.
As with most of the typical jays, the voice repetoire is very extensive. The birds most common call appears to be a rassh-rassh-rassh sound as well as many other unusual notes. One of the most distinctive is a sound like an alarm bell!
External Image links
- Good closeup showing nasal bristles (http://www.tsuru-bird.net/jays/jay_green1.jpg)
- Green Jay (http://www.tsuru-bird.net/a_potpourri/jay_green1.jpg)
