Mexican jay

Aphelocoma wollweberi

The Mexican jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) formerly known as the gray-breasted jay, is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico and par

Family: Corvidae Order: passerines Conservation: Least Concern
Mexican jay

About the Mexican jay

The Mexican jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) formerly known as the gray-breasted jay, is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States. In May 2011, the American Ornithologists' Union voted to split the Mexican jay into two species, one retaining the common name Mexican jay and one called the Transvolcanic jay. The Mexican jay is a medium-sized jay with blue upper parts and pale gray underparts. It resembles the Woodhouse's scrub-jay, but has an unstreaked throat and breast. It feeds largely on acorns and pine nuts, but includes many other plant and animal foods in its diet. It has a cooperative breeding system where the parents are assisted by other birds to raise their young. This is a c

Fun Facts About Mexican jay

  • This is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
  • The Mexican jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) formerly known as the gray-breasted jay, is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States.
  • It has a cooperative breeding system where the parents are assisted by other birds to raise their young.
  • It feeds largely on acorns and pine nuts, but includes many other plant and animal foods in its diet.
  • In May 2011, the American Ornithologists' Union voted to split the Mexican jay into two species, one retaining the common name Mexican jay and one called the Transvolcanic jay.

Conservation Status

The Mexican jay is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is currently stable and not at significant risk of population decline.

View on IUCN Red List →

Taxonomy & Classification

Orderpasserines
FamilyCorvidae
GenusAphelocoma
SpeciesAphelocoma wollweberi

Range & Habitat

Range map of Mexican jay

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Related Species

Other species in the Corvidae family: