Appearance

Appearance

This chunky jay is about 13 in (33 cm) long, with a pinkish-brown body, black tail, white rump, and a small electric-blue panel barred with black on each wing.

Voice

Its usual call is a loud, harsh rasp, and it can imitate other birds.

Look-alikes

Blue JayCyanocitta cristata

A Blue Jay is blue above and white below, with a prominent crest and a bold black necklace. A Eurasian Jay has a mostly pinkish-brown body, no tall crest, and only a small blue-and-black wing panel.

Why they get mixed up · Both are noisy, acorn-eating jays with blue in the wings.

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• deciduous woodland
• mixed forest
• mature parks

Range

It lives across Eurasia and parts of northwest Africa. It is not a regular wild bird in the United States.

Seasonal presence

Mostly resident, with some regional movements outside the United States.

Behavior

Diet

It is an omnivore that eats acorns, other seeds and fruit, insects, and other small animals.

Activity

In fall it carries and buries acorns in many separate places, then returns to them during winter.

Life cycle

Nest

In its Eurasian range, a pair builds a twig nest in a tree or shrub.

Clutch size

Usually 4–5 eggs in British records.

Incubation

Incubation usually lasts about 18 days in British records.

Connected species

Ties with other wildlife

Acorns that are buried and not recovered can sprout, helping this jay spread oak seeds.

Food plants

• oaksQuercus

  In its Eurasian range, it eats acorns and buries some that can later grow into oaks.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction

Culture and stories

Culture and stories

• The scientific name glandarius refers to acorns, matching the bird's strong association with oak woods.