Blue Jay vs Amami Jay

Cyanocitta cristata compared with Garrulus lidthi

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Blue Jay Amami Jay
Scientific Name Cyanocitta cristata Garrulus lidthi
Order Passeriformes Passeriformes
Family Corvidae Corvidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Vulnerable
Length 28.0 cm (11.0 in)
Wingspan 42.0 cm (16.5 in) 34.8 cm (13.7 in)
Weight 87.0 g (3.07 oz) 125.0 g (4.41 oz)
Diet Omnivorous — nuts (especially acorns), seeds, berries, insects, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other … --
Clutch Size 2-7 3-5
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
Blue Jay 28.0 cm
Amami Jay
Wingspan
Blue Jay 42.0 cm
Amami Jay 34.8 cm
Weight
Blue Jay 87.0 g
Amami Jay 125.0 g

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Blue Jay only

None

Amami Jay only

None

Blue Jay

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

Song & Call Comparison

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.

Amami Jay

Geographic Range & Migration

Blue Jay

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

Amami Jay

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Blue Jay

Vulnerable

Amami Jay

How to Tell Them Apart

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

Amami 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.

Amami Jay

The Amami Jay is a vulnerable corvid weighing 125 g with a broad 34.8 cm wingspan, endemic to the Amami Islands of southern Japan. It has striking blue and chestnut plumage and inhabits subtropical broadleaf forests where it caches food.

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