Canada Jay
Perisoreus canadensis
The Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is a common crows, jays, and magpi found in 3 countries, weighing about 72 g. The Canada jay, also known as the grey jay, gray jay, camp robber, moose bird, gorby, or whisky jack, is a passerine bird of the family Corvidae.
About the Canada Jay
The Canada jay, also known as the grey jay, gray jay, camp robber, moose bird, gorby, or whisky jack, is a passerine bird of the family Corvidae. It is found in boreal forests of North America, north to the tree line, and in the Rocky Mountains subalpine zone south to New Mexico and Arizona. A fairly large songbird, the Canada jay has pale grey underparts, darker grey upperparts, and a grey-white head with a darker grey nape. It is one of three members of the genus Perisoreus, a genus more closely related to the magpie genus Cyanopica than to other birds known as jays. The Canada jay itself has nine recognized subspecies.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Canada jay is a relatively large songbird, though smaller than other jays. A typical adult Canada jay is between 25 and 33 cm (9.8 and 13.0 in) long. Its wingspan is around 45 cm (18 in). It weighs about 65 to 70 g (2.3 to 2.5 oz). Adults have medium grey back feathers with a lighter grey underside. Its head is mostly white with a dark grey or black nape and hood, with a short black beak and dark eyes. The long tail is medium grey with lighter tips. The legs and feet are black. The plumage is thick, providing insulation in the bird's cold native habitat.
What the Canada Jay sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in St. Pierre & Miquelon.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in June. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Watch the Canada Jay on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Canada Jay?
- The Canada jay is a relatively large songbird, though smaller than other jays. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Canada Jay?
- The Canada Jay is a medium sized bird weighing about 72 g.
- Where can you see a Canada Jay?
- The Canada Jay occurs in 3 countries, including the United States and Canada.
- What does a Canada Jay sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Canada Jay on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Canada Jay?
- The Canada Jay is most easily confused with the Siberian Jay and the Sichuan Jay.
- Is the Canada Jay endangered?
- The Canada Jay is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Canada Jay for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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