Jay  (Garrulus glandarius)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The shy jay is a strikingly coloured member of the crow family. It is generally pinkish-brown in colour, with a black tail, whitish throat and rump patch and a blue patch on the wings, barred with black (2). There is a broad black 'moustache' on either side of the bill, and the crown is streaked with black (2). Juvenile jays are a darker reddish than the adults (6). The most common noise produced is a loud scream, which serves as an alarm call (2); this earned the jay the Gaelic name of 'schreachag choille', which means 'screamer of the woods' (7).

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