Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa) | Photos, Calls and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

ForestCup nestMedium · 104 g

Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa), photo 1 — Photo: Alina Martin · CC BY 4.0

Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa), photo 2 — Photo: Alina Martin · CC BY 4.0

Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa), photo 3 — Photo: Esteban Poveda · CC BY 4.0

Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa), photo 4 — Photo: Frank Dietze · CC BY 4.0

Turquoise Jay (Cyanolyca turcosa), photo 5 — Photo: Frank Dietze · CC BY 4.0

What the Turquoise Jay sounds like

Sonogram of the Turquoise Jay: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.

Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Zamora-Chinchipe: Quebrada Honda, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Pichincha: Tandayapa ridge 3 km SSW Tandayapa, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Cotopaxi: sw-slope Volcán Iliniza, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

There exists no sexual dimorphism within the species. Adult turquoise jays are mainly a vibrant, blue-green color that can change depending on the lighting. The underside of the wings and tail are black. The turquoise jay has a thick, black face mask that extends to the auriculars and connects to a thin, black collar the wraps around the throat but does not extend around the nape of the neck. The forecrown of the turquoise jay is very light and almost white in color. The iris of the bird is brown while the legs, feet, and bill are all black.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Turquoise Jay

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Turquoise Jay

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 2 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Ecuador Peru

Recorded as a rare visitor in Colombia.

About the Turquoise Jay

The turquoise jay is a species of bird in the family Corvidae.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Black-collared JayCyanolyca armillataThe black-collared jay is 30 to 32 cm (12 to 13 in) long and weighs about 100 g (3.5 oz).

Azure-hooded JayCyanolyca cucullataThe azure-hooded jay ranges in length from 11 to 12 inches (28 to 30 cm), and it tends to weigh 3.52 ounces (100 g).

White-collared JayCyanolyca viridicyanusThe white-collared jay is 30 to 34 cm (12 to 13 in) long and weighs 82 to 127 g (2.9 to 4.5 oz).

Side by side: Black-collared Jay vs Turquoise Jay · Azure-hooded Jay vs Turquoise Jay · Turquoise Jay vs White-collared Jay

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