Tufted Jay
Cyanocorax dickeyi
The Tufted Jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi) is a rare crows, jays, and magpi found in 2 countries, weighing about 181 g. The tufted jay, also known as the painted jay and Dickey's jay, is a species of bird in the crow family Corvidae.
About the Tufted Jay
The tufted jay, also known as the painted jay and Dickey's jay, is a species of bird in the crow family Corvidae. It is endemic to a small area of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Durango, and Nayarit. A distinctive large jay, it has a prominent dark crest on its head; purplish blue back, wings, and face; a white spot above the eye and on the cheek; white undersides; and a partially white tail. Its typical call is a quick, four-note vocalization.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The tufted jay is a distinctive bird within its range. It has a crest of black feathers on its head, fading to dark blue at the base. Its face is mostly black to dark blue with white spots above the eyes and white cheeks. It has a white nape and belly. The back and wings are a purplish blue which extends partway down the tail, transitioning to white about halfway down. The beak and legs are both black, and it has bright yellow irises. Immature birds have shorter crests, lack the white spot above their eyes, and have bright blue cheeks and brown irises. Voice: The tufted jay has several calls, with the most common being a rapid, four-note call transcribed as either rak, chuck, chen, or ca. This call is made by flock members when feeding and by nesting females, and a higher-pitched variation is used as a mobbing call. When perched next to other tufted jays, individuals may make a nasal aaagh call. When guarding a nest, males make a tuk or tst call.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Germany.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, July, August, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Tufted Jay?
- The tufted jay is a distinctive bird within its range. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Tufted Jay?
- The Tufted Jay is a medium sized bird weighing about 181 g.
- Where can you see a Tufted Jay?
- The Tufted Jay occurs in 2 countries, including Mexico.
- What birds look similar to a Tufted Jay?
- The Tufted Jay is most easily confused with the Azure-naped Jay, the Cayenne Jay and the Azure Jay.
- Is the Tufted Jay endangered?
- The Tufted Jay is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Tufted Jay for real
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