Everything about The Pinyon Jay totally explained
The
Pinyon Jay (
Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a
jay between the
North American
Blue Jay and the
Eurasian Jay in size. It is the only member of the genus
Gymnorhinus, (
monotypic). Its overall proportions are very
Nutcracker-like and indeed this can be seen as
convergent evolution as both
birds fill similar
ecological niches. The pinyon jay is a bluish-grey coloured bird with deeper head colouring and whitish throat with black bill, legs and feet.
This species occurs in western
North America from central
Oregon to northern
Baja California and east as far as western
Oklahoma though it wanders further afield out of the breeding season. It lives in foothills where the
pinyon pines
Pinus edulis and
Pinus monophylla occur.
This species is highly social, often forming very large
flocks of 250 or more birds, and several birds always seem to act as
sentries for the flock, watching out for predators while their companions are feeding. The seed of the Pinyon pine is the staple food but they supplement their diet with fruits and berries. Insects of many types are also eaten and sometimes caught with its feet.
The
nest is always part of a
colony but there's never more than one nest in a tree. Sometimes the colony can cover quite extensive areas with a single nest in each tree (usually
juniper,
live oak or
pine). There are usually 3-4 eggs laid, quite early in the season. Incubation is usually 16 days. The male bird normally brings food near to the nest, and the female flies to him to receive it and take back to the nest to feed the chicks that
fledge around 3 weeks later. The pair normally only feed their own young, but once they reach near-fledging size they can sometimes receive a meal from any passing member of the colony, which can continue for some time after leaving the nest.
The Pinyon Jay was first collected, recorded and described as a species from a specimen shot along the Maria River in Northern Montana during the Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, Expedition to the Interior of North America in 1833.
The voice is described as a rhythmic
krawk-kraw-krawk repeated two or three times.
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