Florida Scrub-Jay Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A large and sturdy bird with a long tail and hefty legs. This uncrested jay has a big flat head and a heavy bill.

  Relative Size

  Larger than an Eastern Towhee, smaller than an American Crow.

  robin-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 9.1-11.0 in (23-28 cm)
    • Weight: 2.3-3.3 oz (66-92 g)
    • Wingspan: 13.0-14.2 in (33-36 cm)
• Color Pattern

  Dull blue overall with a whitish forehead and a pale gray back and belly. Juveniles are grayer overall than adults and lack the adult’s blue head.

• Behavior

  Hops on the ground or in trees and shrubs to pick insects and harvest acorns, which it buries in the ground to eat later. Often perches vertically on wires or exposed branches with its long tail hanging down.

• Habitat

  Found only in low-growing oak scrub and scrubby flatwoods with sandy soils in Florida. Within these patches of oak scrub, they frequent relatively open areas with bare sandy patches.