Aphelocoma Californica

Identification Tips:

• Length: 10? inches
• Sturdy, dark bill
• Pale supercilium with darker cheeks
• Blue head, rump, wings and tail
• Gray-brown back
• Gray or white throat with dark lower border
• Grayish under parts
• Birds from Washington to California have brighter blue upperparts and whiter throats than birds from the interior portion of the range

Similar species:

• The Mexican Jay, an inhabitant of southeastern Arizona, is similar to the Western Scrub-Jay but has uniform under parts lacking the white throat and dark collar and more evenly colored upperparts.
• Pinyon Jay has blue under parts and a shorter tail.