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Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Jay

Garrulus glandarius

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The Eurasian Jay is a colourful, medium-sized crow of oak-rich woodland ranging from western Europe and north-west Africa across much of Asia. It is recognised by its pinkish-brown body, black moustache, bright blue barred wing panel and loud, rasping screech. A prolific acorn hoarder and gifted mimic, it plays an important role in spreading oaks. It shows striking geographic variation across its wide range.

Did you know?

  • A single jay can hide thousands of acorns in an autumn, and forgotten ones grow into new oaks.
  • It can convincingly copy the calls of buzzards and goshawks.

Voice

Song
Call
Flight call
Alarm call

About the species

Identification

A medium-sized crow with a pinkish grey-brown plumage. Distinctive marks are the pale blue, black-barred patch on the wing, a broad black moustache, a black-streaked crown (often raised into a small crest), a pale throat, a black tail and a white rump that flashes in flight. The flight is floppy and uneven. The call is a harsh screech; it also mimics other sounds.

Family

Corvidae

Size

Medium (thrush)

Colours

brown, black, blue, white

About the habitat

Mixed and deciduous woodland, especially with oaks, as well as coniferous forest, forest edges, parks and large gardens.

Diet

Omnivorous: acorns, beechnuts, nuts and seeds, insects and other invertebrates, berries and fruit; occasionally eggs, nestlings and small vertebrates. It caches food, especially acorns, for winter and spring, and visits feeders.

Behaviour

Usually shy inside woods but conspicuous by its harsh screeches. It forages in trees and on the ground, carrying food away to hide. A skilled mimic, it can copy the calls of birds of prey such as buzzards and goshawks. Pairs build the nest together; the female incubates while the male feeds her. Like other crows it is intelligent and plans for future needs. In some autumns it makes large irruptions.

Sources

Photo: Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alakarga - Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius 03.jpg

Sound: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, XC461842, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://xeno-canto.org/461842

Sound: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, XC461843, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://xeno-canto.org/461843

Sound: Sonothèque ADVL, XC707403, CC0 1.0 https://xeno-canto.org/707403

Sound: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parus_major_-_Great_Tit_XC478081.mp3

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions, CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_jay

See also