Blue Jay vs Yellow-billed Chough

Cyanocitta cristata compared with Pyrrhocorax graculus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Blue Jay Yellow-billed Chough
Scientific Name Cyanocitta cristata Pyrrhocorax graculus
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) 53.5 cm (21.1 in)
Weight 87.0 g (3.07 oz) 221.25 g (7.80 oz)
Diet Omnivorous — nuts (especially acorns), seeds, berries, insects, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other … --
Clutch Size 2-7 3-6
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Blue Jay 28.0 cm
Yellow-billed Chough
Wingspan
Blue Jay 42.0 cm
Yellow-billed Chough 53.5 cm
Weight
Blue Jay 87.0 g
Yellow-billed Chough 221.25 g
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Blue Jay only

Yellow-billed Chough 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

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.

Yellow-billed Chough

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Geographic Range & Migration

Blue Jay

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

Yellow-billed Chough

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Blue Jay

Least Concern

Yellow-billed Chough

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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

Yellow-billed Chough

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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.

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Related Comparisons

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