298 Birds of Colorado 



Distribution. — Western North America from the interior of southern 

 British Columbia southwards to Lower CaUfomia and western Texas, 

 chiefly in the upper Sonoran (pinon) zone. 



The Pinon Jay, also known as Maximillian's Jay and the Blue 

 Crow, is quite a common resident locally throughout the mountainous 

 part of the State. It ranges chiefly from 5,000 to 9,000 feet, and is 

 said by Drew to ascend to 13,000 feet in autumn. In winter it some- 

 times wanders out on to the plains as far as Western Kansas and 

 Nebraska. It is most abundant in the southern and western parts of 

 the State in the cedar and pinon country. It has been recorded from 

 Boulder co. (Henderson), Summit co., in autumn (Carter), El Paso co. 

 (Aiken), Salida, in winter (Fray), Costilla co. (Henshaw & Goss), and 

 north-west Baca co., in November (Cary) ; on the western slopes from 

 Routt CO. (Warren), Mesa co. (Rockwell), San Juan co. (Drew) and 

 La Plata co. (Morrison). 



Habits. — ^This is a somewhat remarkable bird, since 

 it combines the form of a Crow and the colour of a Jay 

 with a characteristic bill all its own. In habit it is 

 singularly sociable, being found in large flocks throughout 

 the greater part of the year, while even in summer it 

 nests in small communities. Its food consists chiefly 

 of the nuts ot the pinon pine {Pinus edulis), and to a 

 smaller extent of the yellow pine {Pinus sccqmlorum) ; 

 while in summer it also feeds on berries and insects, 

 and even grass-seeds. 



Though not a migrant, at least in Colorado, it is a 

 great wanderer and very erratic in its movements, and 

 its vertical range does not seem to be very dependent 

 on seasons. Its note is harsh and querulous. 



Aiken (75) was the first to take the eggs of the Pinon 

 Jay. He found several nests on May 13th in El Paso 

 CO., one of which contained five well incubated eggs. 

 The nest is bulky and compact, and has a deep cup ; 

 it is built up of twigs of piiion, juniper and sage-brush, 

 and lined with strands of bark, and is placed from five 

 to twelve feet from the ground in a pinon tree, generally 

 in a high and open situation, and not specially concealed. 



