- Calocitta colliei
Identification
58–77 cm (22¾-30¼ in), including the very long tail
- Blue upperparts
- White tips to tail
- White underparts
- Black head, throat, chest and crest
- Light blue crescent over eyes and patch under eye
- Black bill and legs
Juvenile: white tip on crest. The patch below eye is smaller and darker blue.
Distribution
Endemic to western Mexico, (south-eastern Sonora to Jalisco and Colima).
Introduced to California and Baja California.
Common to fairly common in its small range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1], which has in the past been considered part of White-throated Magpie-Jay.
Habitat
Dry bushy country, thorn forest, deciduous open and riparian forests.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates, fruits and berries. Often foraging together with passerines such as Yellow-winged Cacique.
Breeding
Eggs are reported in April. The large cup nest of sticks is lined with softer material. The clutch consists of 3 to 7 brown and grey spotted whitish eggs.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Black-throated Magpie-Jay. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-throated_Magpie-Jay
External Links
Search the Gallery using the scientific name:
Search the Gallery Using the common name:
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