Florida Scrub Jay

Overview

The Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is a member of the jay family that is the only bird species endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. Classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, it has been a distinct species for at least two million years and is currently on the decline due to habitat loss.

Identification

• Measures 23 to 28 cm in length with a wingspan of 33–36 cm and an average weight of 80.2 g.
• Features a strong black bill, a blue head and nape without a crest, a whitish forehead and supercilium, a blue bib, blue wings, and a long blue tail.
• Displays grayish underparts, a gray back, and black legs and feet.
• Juveniles are distinguishable from adults by brown feathers on the head, which are slowly replaced by blue as the bird matures.

Habitat

Found exclusively in Florida scrub habitat, an ecosystem located in central Florida and limited areas along the Atlantic coast. This environment is characterised by nutrient-poor soil, occasional drought, and frequent wildfires.

Diet

Omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of acorns, seeds, peanuts, insects, tree frogs, turtles, snakes, lizards, and young mice. The species routinely caches thousands of acorns in autumn, burying them just beneath the surface to be consumed in winter and spring, which also acts as an agent for oak tree dispersal.

Did you know?

The species exhibits coordinated cooperative hunting, with mated pairs observed attacking black racers together when the prey is too large for one bird to handle. Additionally, fledglings remain in their parents' territory for several years to help rear young and defend against predators.