298 Birds of Colorado 
Distribution.—Western North America from the interior of southern 
British Columbia southwards to Lower California and western Texas, 
chiefly in the upper Sonoran (pifion) zone. 
The Pifion 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 pifion country. It has been recorded from 
Boulder co. (Henderson), Summit co., in autumn (Carter), El Paso co. 
(Aiken), Salida, in winter (Frey), 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 chiefiy 
of the nuts of the pifion pine (Pinus edulis), and to a 
smaller extent of the yellow pine (Pinus scopulorum) ; 
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 Pifion 
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 pifion, juniper and sage-brush, 
and lined with strands of bark, and is placed from five 
to twelve feet from the ground in a pifion tree, generally 
in a high and open situation, and not specially concealed. 
