Blue Jay

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is in the Crows, Jays, and Magpies family (Corvidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 143,219 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Blue Jay: observations by month (U.S.)

About Blue Jay

The blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States, although western populations may be migratory. Resident populations are also found in Newfoundland, Canada, while breeding populations can be found in southern Canada. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in residential areas. It is predominantly blue with a white chest and...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Blue Jay by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)

American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos

Common RavenCorvus corax

California Scrub-JayAphelocoma californica

Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri

Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia

Woodhouse's Scrub-JayAphelocoma woodhouseii

Canada JayPerisoreus canadensis

Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ