CROWS AND JAYS 



22 I 



FLORIDA JAY 

 Aphelocoma cyanea (VicUlot) 



A. O. I-'. Number 479 



Other Name. — Scrub Jay. 



General Description.— Length, iiK' inches. Upper 

 parts, blue and gray ; under parts, gray. Head, not 

 crested. 



Color. — Anui.TS; Crown, hindneck, sides of neck, 

 .■shoulders, wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail, plain dull 

 azure-blue; sides of head, duller blue; back and rump, 

 smoke-gray or drab-gray, the latter tinged with blue ; 

 chin and upper throat, grayish-white, gradually shading 

 into light gray on chest ; feathers of lower chest, lilue, 

 forming a semi-circular collar; breast, abdomen, sides, 

 and flanks, light smoke-gray, fading into white on anal 

 region; under tail-coverts, dull azure-blue; iris, brown. 

 Yoi"NG : Crown, hindneck, sides of neck and head, deep 

 mouse-gray ; back, shoulders, rump, and upper tail- 



coverts, paler and browner gray ; chin, throat, and 

 abdomen, dull whitish ; under tail-coverts, light gray ; 

 rest of under i)arts, light grayish, deeper across lower 

 part of chest, where forming a semi-circular collar; 

 wings and tail as in adults, the smaller wing-coverts, 

 however, grayish, and the greater wing-coverts narrowly 

 tipped with pale grayish. 



Nest and Eggs. — -Nest: In low scrub; a compact, 

 but flat structure of small sticks, plant stems, leaves, 

 lined with moss, wood, or feathers. Eggs: 3 to 5, 

 usually 4, pale "Ijluish or greenish-white, sparsely 

 speckled with chestnut and black, more profusely at 

 large end. 



Distribution. — Peninsula of Florida (in oak scrub, 

 irregularly distributed). 



The Florida Jay is one of the crestless Jays, 

 and also has the pecnharity of being one of the 

 few American birds whose range is restricted to 

 a comparatively small area — in this instance, the 

 peninsula of Florida. Like his cousin of the 

 New England States, he is a noisy fellow ; while 

 his assurance often nearly equals that of the 



Canada Jay. His preferred habitat is scrtib-oak 

 woodland, though favorite perches are the chim- 

 ney-tops of summer cottages in the sand-dunes 

 near the ocean. From such coigns of vantage 

 in the vicinity of Daytona, he is often found sur- 

 veying the landscape and haranguing all and 

 sundry who will give him audience. 



WOODHOUSE'S JAY 

 Aphelocoma woodhousei ( Balrd) 



A. O. U. Xumber 480 



General Description. — Length, 11 inches. Upper 

 parts, blue and gray ; under parts, gray. Head, not 

 crested. 



Color. — .\dults : Head and neck (except chin and 

 tliroat). wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail, plain, dull 

 azure-blue, brightest on crown where margined laterally 

 by a narrow streak (or series of streaks) of white, 

 the blue dullest on sides of head; hack and shoulders, 

 deep mouse-gray, sometimes tinged with blue; rump, 

 more bluish-gray; chin, throat, and chest (/rayish-'Li'hite, 

 streaked -with btuish-i/ray, these streaks broad and very 

 distinct on chest, which is margined laterally by an 

 extension of the blue from sides of neck; breast, sides, 

 and flanks pale mouse-gray or smoke-gray, the abdomen 

 paler, fading into white on anal region ; under tail- 

 coverts, light grayish-blue or china-blue ; iris, brown. 

 Young: Crown, plain mouse-gray; rest of upper parts 

 Cexcept wings and tail), plain brownish-gray or deep 



drab-gray; general color of under parts, dull light 

 brownish-gray, paler on chin, throat, chest, and ab- 

 domen, deeper and more brownish on upper portion 

 of breast; wings and tail as in adults, but smaller 

 wing-coverts gray and lesser coverts indistinctly tipped 

 with the same. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest; Located in scrul) oaks, 

 bushes, thickets, or low trees, usually within 6 feet of 

 ground; a frail structure of small sticks, lined with 

 rootlets and horse-hair. Eggs : 3 to 6, pale bluish- 

 green, lightly spotted all over with brown and lavender, 

 more thickly at large end. 



Distribution. — Western United States east of Sierra 

 Nevada ; north to southeastern Oregon, southern Idaho, 

 and southern Wyoming ; east to Colorado, western 

 Nebraska, New Mexico, and northwestern Texas ; 

 south to southern Arizona and New Mexico; west to 

 southeastern California, west to western Nevada. 



