Bushy-crested Jay
Cyanocorax melanocyaneus
Only blue-and-black jay in its limited range in interior of northern Central America. Found in brushy woodland, pine-oak forest and edge, and plantations, foraging at all levels. Usually in small groups, which can be noisy and conspicuous or very quiet and easily overlooked. Sometimes found with mixed-species feeding flocks that include Green Jays and orioles. Lower breast and belly are tinged blue but often appear black. Bushy crest usually held flattened and thus not noticeable.
Identification
The adult bushy-crested jay has a length of 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in). The tail is long and the central feathers are graduated. The sexes look alike; the head, neck, breast and upper mantle are black while the remaining upper parts are dark blue with a sheen of green or violet. The underparts are plain greenish-blue, the undersides of the wings are grey and the underside of the tail is blackish. The head bears a stubble-like erectile crown of feathers, the beak is black and relatively small, the irises are yellow and the legs black.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cyanocorax melanocyaneus
- Authority
- (Hartlaub, 1844)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
- Genus
- Cyanocorax
Range and habitat
This jay is native to Central America where it is found in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua at altitudes between about 600 and 2,450 m (2,000 and 8,000 ft). Its habitat is humid forests, especially those with pine and oak, forest verges, glades and areas of scrub. It adapts well to degradation of its habitat and has become common in coffee plantations and around agricultural land.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The species is social and lives in small groups. These forage in the lower storey of trees and in the undergrowth, often descending to the ground to search through the leaf litter. The diet consists of invertebrates, seeds, nuts and fruits. The nest is built in dense undergrowth out of twigs and lined with plant fibres. One female lays a clutch of three or four eggs in late April or early May. Another female shares the incubation of the eggs with her, and many birds assist with the feeding of the young. In one nest, eleven different adults helped feed the brood, as well as some juveniles that had hatched earlier.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
Eremopterix leucotis
A small, compact finch-like sociable lark that is both resident and nomadic, although movements are poorly understood. The sexes differ in plumage: the distinctive male has a rich chestnut back and wings and a black head with bold white circular ear-patches; the streaky female is variable depending on geographic range, but always has a dark belly patch. Flocks of up to 50 birds (often mixed with Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark in NE Africa) can appear in open grassland and arid savanna, preferring recently burned turf, open fields, and gravel plains. They shuffle along in bare patches foraging for seeds and insects.
Ashy Starling
Lamprotornis unicolor
An unusual slim brownish-gray starling with a long, narrow tail. The eye is pale, and there is a greenish gloss on the back and tail in fresh plumage. A Tanzanian endemic that is found in moderately moist savanna and woodland, usually in small flocks, often feeding on the ground. Rüppell’s Starling also has a long tail, but Ashy is easily separated by being gray rather than glossy blue-black. Makes quiet mewing, rasping, and chattering calls.
Kinglet Manakin
Machaeropterus regulus
Chunky little, short-tailed bird of lowland and foothill forest. Male is distinctive with bright red crown and bold white stripes on reddish belly. Female lacks red crown but shows faint streaking on sides unlike any other manakin. Inconspicuous; elaborate display dance infrequently seen. Found in the lower to middle levels of forest. Listen for its strong “chew” call.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.