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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Island Scrub-jay	Blue Jay
Scientific Name	Aphelocoma insularis	Cyanocitta cristata
Order	Passeriformes	Passeriformes
Family	Corvidae	Corvidae
Conservation Status	Not Evaluated	Least Concern
Length	—	28.0 cm (11.0 in)
Wingspan	—	42.0 cm (16.5 in)
Weight	115.75 g (4.08 oz)	87.0 g (3.07 oz)
Diet	--	Omnivorous — nuts (especially acorns), seeds, berries, insects, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other …
Clutch Size	2-5	2-7
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Island Scrub-jay —

Blue Jay 28.0 cm

Wingspan

Island Scrub-jay —

Blue Jay 42.0 cm

Weight

Island Scrub-jay 115.75 g

Blue Jay 87.0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest

Island Scrub-jay only

🏖️ Coastal

Blue Jay only

None

Blue Jay

Deciduous and mixed forests, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.

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Song & Call Comparison

Island Scrub-jay

Blue Jay

Song

A harsh, ringing 'jaay-jaay-jaay'. Also mimics Red-tailed Hawk and other species convincingly. Gives soft, liquid 'bell' calls and gurgling whispers in flocks.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Island Scrub-jay

Blue Jay

Eastern and central North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Some populations migrate irregularly.

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Conservation Status

Not Evaluated

Island Scrub-jay

Least Concern

Blue Jay

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How to Tell Them Apart

Island Scrub-jay

Blue Jay

Plumage

Bright blue upperparts with black barring on the wings and tail. White face and underparts with a black necklace. Prominent blue crest.

Bill

Stout, straight black bill

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About These Birds

Island Scrub-jay

Blue Jay

The blue jay is a bold, intelligent member of the corvid family known for its striking plumage and loud calls. Blue jays are important dispersers of oak trees, as they cache thousands of acorns each autumn. Their complex social behavior includes mimicking the calls of hawks to scare other birds from feeders.

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Related Comparisons

Blue Jay vs Eurasian Magpie

same-family

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