Island scrub jay in Oregon? (1 Viewer)

[birdazzLED]

I took this picture yesterday. These birds like to go into bushes. It was hard to get a picture because they are very active and don't stop in one place more than a few seconds. This is my first attempt at ID but as I found that the Island Scrub Jay is restricted to Santa Cruz Island so it can't be this bird. They look so similar but I do notice some differences. I'm sure it's a common bird but this is the first time i've ever seen one, or rather noticed.

 

[LabradorDuck]

Try "Western Scrub Jay."

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Scrub-Jay/id

Seems much more likely ^_^. I think the Island form is still considered just a subspecies of this one.

 

[Dave Hall]

I think that your bird is a Western Scrub Jay

 

[birdazzLED]

According to the range map the Western Scrub Jay reaches as far as southern Oregon. Also, the bird I took a picture of has a black tail. On the website all the Jays have a very blue tail.

 

[birdboybowley]

The blue varies as to the amount of light available - your pic doesn't look like it was taken on a sunny day

 

[csanchez7]

Tail looks pretty blue in that photo to me. As per Sibley's and the National Geographic's Field Guides to the Birds of North America, your bird is perfectly in range. Although they do not extend further up along the coast than southern Oregon, they do range northward all the way to Seattle only a hundred or so miles inland.

Carlos

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Try "Western Scrub Jay."

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Scrub-Jay/id

Seems much more likely ^_^. I think the Island form is still considered just a subspecies of this one.

The island form is a valid species. And the Western scrub jay may be split into more soon.

 

[birdazzLED]

Tail looks pretty blue in that photo to me. As per Sibley's and the National Geographic's Field Guides to the Birds of North America, your bird is perfectly in range. Although they do not extend further up along the coast than southern Oregon, they do range northward all the way to Seattle only a hundred or so miles inland.

Carlos

The tail looks black to me even in person. I was sitting in my car less than 10 feet away when I took the picture.

*edit** looks like there is indeed a little blue mixed in with black. His wing tips are also black

 

[emupilot]

The tail looks black to me even in person. I was sitting in my car less than 10 feet away when I took the picture.

*edit** looks like there is indeed a little blue mixed in with black. His wing tips are also black

Jays don't actually have blue pigment in their feathers. The blue is from diffraction of the light by their feathers. With different light conditions (or perhaps feather condition), the blue can change appearance.