A Canada Jay(Perisoreus canadensis) Is a songbird that is classified in the family Corvidae.
Physical Characteristics
Adult Canada Jays are gray overall, but their bellies and torsos are paler. The juveniles are a sooty-gray color.
| Length | 25-29cm(10”-11.4”) |
| Wingspan | 46 cm(1’6″) |
| Weight | 58-84 gm(2-3 oz) |
Range
Canada Jays can be found year round throughout most of Canada. In the U.S.A. it can be seen in east-central Arizona, northern California, central Colorado, Idaho, north-central New Mexico, and southwestern South Dakota, and Utah.
Habitat
Canada Jays inhabit Boreal forest, and subalpine forest.
Breeding
The male Canada Jay choses the nest site. Both the male and female do some of the nest building, but the male is who does most of the initial work, he begins by building a ball of twigs that is held together by cocoons from caterpillars. Then the female will join him at building the nest. They place a ring of twigs above the ball; then they fill it with bark strips, finer twigs, and lichens. They line the cup with feathers or fur and mold it by pressing their bodies inside of it. It takes about 3 weeks for the pair to finish building the nest. The finished nest is 10.2 cm to 15.24 cm(4 to 6 inches) high, with a cup about 5.1 cm(2 inches) deep and 7.62 cm(3 inches) across.
The female lays 2-5 eggs per clutch. The eggs are pale light greenish white or gray, and are spotted with dark olive to rusty dots. The length of the egg is 2.5-3.4 cm(1.0-1.3 inches), and width is 1.8-2.4 cm(0.7-0.9 inches). The incubation period is 18 to 19 days. When the chicks hatch they are altricial; they are blind and naked, except for a covering of sparse down feathers.
Diet
Canada Jays eat insects, berries, seeds, fungi, small mammals, bird chicks, amphibians, and carrion.
Predators
Animals that prey on Canada Jays include; Great Grey Owls(Strix nebulosa), Northern Hawk-Owls(Surnia ulula), Fisher(Pekania pennanti), and the American Marten(Martes americana). The American Red Squirrel(Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) has been know to eat the chicks and eggs.
Conservation Status
The Canada Jay is listed as least concern
Fun Facts
- Canada Jays are also know as Gray Jays, Grey Jays, Camp Robbers, or Whisky jacks.
- Canada Jays can live up to 17 years old.
- Canada Jays cache thousands of food items during the summer to have food for the following winter.
