Blue Jay vs Black-collared Jay
Cyanocitta cristata compared with Cyanolyca armillata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue Jay | Black-collared Jay |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cyanocitta cristata | Cyanolyca armillata |
| Order | Passeriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Corvidae | Corvidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) | 27.7 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 87.0 g (3.07 oz) | 168.33333333333334 g (5.94 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — nuts (especially acorns), seeds, berries, insects, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Blue Jay
Deciduous and mixed forests, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.
Song & Call Comparison
Blue Jay
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.
Black-collared Jay
Geographic Range & Migration
Blue Jay
Eastern and central North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Some populations migrate irregularly.
Black-collared Jay
Conservation Status
Blue Jay
Black-collared Jay
How to Tell Them Apart
Blue Jay
Bright blue upperparts with black barring on the wings and tail. White face and underparts with a black necklace. Prominent blue crest.
Stout, straight black bill
Black-collared Jay
About These Birds
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.
Black-collared Jay
The Black-collared Jay is a striking, medium-sized jay of Andean cloud forests in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru, with deep blue plumage, a black head, and a distinctive narrow black collar. It inhabits the canopy and edges of humid montane forests at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 meters. It feeds on insects, berries, small vertebrates, and eggs.