Gray Jay

Gray Jay, adult

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Gray Jay juvenile

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A widespread and confiding denizen of boreal and sub-alpine forests, the Gray Jay frequently approaches people for food. It may even land on your hand for a morsel. This tameness can also lead to the pilferage of food not offered, and is responsible for the colloquial name of "camp robber."

Description

• Large gray songbird.
• Long tail.
• Short, black bill.
• Pale gray face and forehead.
• Dark cap extending down nape and onto cheek.

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Calls soft and harsh, "cha-cha-cha-cah." Also clear whistled "whee-oo."

Conservation Status

No obvious changes in populations.

Other Names

Mésangeai du Canada, Geai du Canada (French)
Canada Jay (English)

Cool Facts

• The Gray Jay stores large quantities of food for later use. It uses sticky saliva to glue small food items to tree branches above the height of the eventual snow line. It may be this food storage behavior that allows the jay to live so far north throughout the winter.

Sources used to construct this page:

Strickland, D., and H. Ouellet. 1993. Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis). In The Birds of North America, No. 40 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA; The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.