MAGPIES, JAYS, CROWS: WOODHOUSE JAY 
477 
State Records. —The Woodhouse Jay ranges t hroughout much of New Mexico, 
the center of its abundance being in the scrub-oak belt (Ligon). It ranges east 
to Oak Canyon near Folsom, September I, 1903 (Howell); Tueumcari, June 18, 
1903 (Weller); and the Guadalupe Mountains, August 1-10, 1901 (Bailey). North 
and south it extends across the State and slightly into Mexico, where it was taken at 
White Water, Chihuahua, June 17, 1892, just south of the New Mexico boundary 
(Mearns). The type specimen of this species was taken by Doctor Henry at old 
Fort Thorn. No great number of nests have been reported, and the probable 
breeding range must be deduced largely from occurrence during the normal breeding- 
season. [It is specially abundant in the Black Range and Mogollons (1916-1918). 
Young were very abundant in Cuchillo Hills, northeast of Fair View, August 4, 1919. 
Young as large as adults June 23, 1919, seen on Little Rio Grande, 10 miles south of 
Taos at 7,400 feet; common in the Animas Mountains, May 7 and S, and in the Burro 
Mountains, May 10, 1920 (Ligon).] April and May are the principal months for 
eggs, and full grown young on the wing have been noted in 1899, by June 13, at the 
east base of the Capitan Mountains (Bailey). A nest with eggs was found April 20, 
1913, at 8,000 feet in the mountains east of the Middle Gila River, Socorro County, 
and one with young about four days old May 4, 1913, at 6,800 feet on the east side of 
the Cuchillo Mountains. Many nests were found in April and May, 1913, all in 
scrub oaks, at altitudes from 6,200 to 8,000 feet. [Fresh eggs were found from April 
19 to May 1, 1916, in the Mogollon Mountain region (Ligon).] The species breeds as 
low as 5,000 feet at Carlisle (Barrell); near Santa Rosa, and up to about 7,000 feet at 
Fort Wingate (Henshaw); [up to 7,500 feet on Mt. Taylor (1916 -1918),] and to 8,000 
feet in Socorro County (Ligon)- In the Red River foothills, Colfax County, it was 
found July 28-Oetober 24, 1913 (Kalmbach). [Two were seen near Gallup, Septem¬ 
ber 30, 1916 (Skinner).] In the fall they move up to 8,000 feet at Gallinas (Bailey) 
and near Chloride (Goldman). 
During the winter, they do not usually remain at a higher altitude than the 
breeding range, while they come at this season into the lowest wooded canyons; 
Silver City, November 10, 1912 (Kellogg). In the Guadalupe Mountains they were 
common from 4,000-7,000 feet in January, 1915 (Willett); and in the Guadalupe 
Mountains south of Queen many were seen in the scrub oak, December 31, 1915 
(Ligon).—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —Often in scrub oak or pinyon pine, two to four feet up; an outer basket¬ 
like framework of twigs holding the inner cup made of weed stalks and rootlets lined 
with horsehair. Eggs: 3 to 6, light bluish green, rather sparingly flecked over the 
entire surface with rusty brown and colored with duller shell markings. 
Food. —In some of the few stomachs examined, three-quarters of the food consists 
of pinyon nuts. Acorns, wheat, ground beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and ants 
are also eaten. 
General Habits. —Among the nut pines, junipers, and scrub oaks 
of Upper Sonoran Zone, the round-headed Woodhouse Jay is frequently 
seen flying away on outspread rich blue wings and tail, squawking 
vociferously, and often followed by the cries of outraged parents whose 
eggs or young it has destroyed. Flycatchers and vireos Mr. Ligon 
found to be the special sufferers along Chloride Creek. As he writes, 
“The nest of a Black Phoebe had two dead young with bill prints in 
their heads, while many nests were torn to pieces. That the small 
birds are constantly quarreling with them is evidence of their robbing 
habits. I had collected a set of Phoebe eggs, and put them at the root 
