SANTA CRUZ JAY 117 



brownish mouse gray; upper tail-coverts dull grayish blue; chin, throat, 

 and median portion of chest white, the last somewhat streaked with 

 gray ; under parts of body pale smoke gray, separated from the white 

 of the chest by a narrow collar of bluish slaty, connecting the two slaty 

 areas on sides of chest ; under tail-coverts and thighs smoke gray ; wings 

 (except smaller coverts) and tail as in adults." 



Food. — Practically nothing has been published on the food of this jay, 

 which probably includes the same wide range as that of other jays. 

 Dawson (1923) implies that it is a robber of small birds' nests and that 

 it even invades the poultry yard. As much of its habitat is thinly 

 settled, or entirely uninhabited by human beings, its feeding habits are 

 not of great economic importance. 



Behaznor. — Its habits suggest those of the mainland forms of the 

 genus. 



During the breeding season it is quiet and secretive, but at other 

 times it is bolder and more inquisitive, coming readily in response to the 

 squeaking call and watching the intruder at short range in silence. 

 Pursuing it through the brushy valleys leads to only passing glimpses 

 of it, but its curiosity often leads it to reward the patient waiter. 



J. Stuart Rowley writes to me: "It was my good fortune to be able 

 to spend the day of April 18, 1937, on the western side of Santa Cruz 

 Island. Here, in the scrub oak on the hillsides and in the ravines, is the 

 home of this large, dark-blue-colored jay. Since this was my first ex- 

 perience with these jays, I had expected them to behave much like the 

 mainland species. However, they were extremely shy and quiet and 

 would duck down into the bushes as I walked along, remaining hidden 

 from view until I was well beyond them. I was able to collect a nice 

 series of birds by concealing myself in the brush and making a squealing 

 distress sound with my lips on the back of my hand. This procedure 

 brought the birds up promptly, without any voiced protest, but with 

 wide-eyed curiosity. 



"I found one nest that day, it being placed about 8 feet up in a scrub 

 oak. When located, no sign of either bird was seen or heard ; and, until 

 I had climbed the tree and just reached into the nest, no jays would 

 seem to be in the vicinity. However, when I started taking the four 

 eggs from the nest, both birds burst forth with the most vociferous 

 scolding I have ever had administered. This retiring behavior by a 

 species of jay was a new experience for me. After the nest was reached, 

 their restraint exploded." 



Voice. — The various notes of the Santa Cruz jay are much like those 

 of its relatives but rather harsher and suggestive of the notes of Steller's 

 jay. 



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