The green jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus) is a species of the New World jays, found in Central America, Mexico, and South Texas. Adults are about 27 cm long and variable in color across their range; they usually have blue and black heads, green wings and mantle, bluish-green tails, black bills, yellow or brown eye rings, and dark legs. The basic diet consists of arthropods, vertebrates, seeds, and fruit. The nest is usually built in a thorny bush; the female incubates the clutch of three to five eggs. This is a common species of jay with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Taxonomy

Seven subspecies are accepted; listed from north to south: It differs from the related Inca jay of the Andes most obviously in lacking the large nasal bristles that form a distinct tuft at the base of the bill in that species, and also tends to show more blue on the rear crown. Despite its separation from the Inca jay by a 1,600 km range gap, some ornithologists treat the green jay and Inca jay as conspecific, with the green jay as C. yncas luxuosus and the Inca jay as C. yncas yncas.

Description

Green jays are 25 – in length. Weight ranges from 66 to 110 g. They have feathers of yellowish-white with blue tips on the top of the head, cheeks and nape. The breast and underparts range from bright yellow in the south (e.g. C. l. maya in the Yucatan) to pale green in the north (e.g. C. l. glaucescens in Texas). The upper parts are rich green. The color of the iris depends on the subspecies, ranging from dark brownish in the north to bright yellow in the south.

Behavior

Green jays feed on a wide range of insects and other invertebrates and various cereal grains. They take ebony (Ebenopsis spp.) seeds where these occur, and also any oak species' acorns, which they will cache. Meat and human scraps add to the diet when opportunity arises. Green jays have been observed using sticks as tools to extract insects from tree bark.

Breeding

Green jays usually build a nest in a tree or in a thorny bush or thicket, and the female lays three to five eggs. Only the female incubates, but both parents take care of the young.

Voice

As with most of the typical jays, this species has a very extensive voice repertoire. The bird's most common call makes a rassh-rassh-rassh sound, but many other unusual notes also occur. One of the most distinctive calls sounds like an alarm bell.

Distribution and habitat

The green jay occurs from southern Texas to Honduras. The similar Inca jay has a disjunct home range in the northern Andes of South America.

Status

The green jay is a common species throughout most of its wide range. It is an adaptable species and the population is thought to be increasing as clearing of forests is creating new areas of suitable habitat. No particular threats have been identified, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".