Eurasian Jay

Garrulus glandarius (Linnaeus, 1758)

34–35 cmLength54 cmWingspan160 gWeight

It is a pinkish-brown corvid with black stripes beside its white throat and a bright blue wing patch.

Busiest months: October · Most records: United Kingdom, Portugal, Israel

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Bright blue wing patch with fine black barring
Throat white, with one black moustachial stripe on each side
Rump white; tail mostly black
Body feathers pinkish-brown, varying between subspecies

Voice

A harsh, grating shriek used as an alarm when a predator is detected; also an accomplished mimic of other birds’ calls.

Where and when it's recorded

Eurasian Jay has been recorded at 1,734 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 70 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Amwell HMWT NRUnited Kingdom4,171 records
Jerusalem Bird ObservatoryIsrael3,612 records
Urdaibai RB – bird center y laguna de OruetaSpain2,821 records

More places

Gazelle ValleyIsrael2,456 records
Beddington FarmlandsUnited Kingdom2,434 records
South Downs NP – Pulborough Brooks RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,634 records
Minsmere RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,629 records
Brent ReservoirUnited Kingdom1,551 records
WWT London Wetland CentreUnited Kingdom1,544 records
Poleg MarshIsrael1,534 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United Kingdom Portugal Israel Spain Germany Czechia France Poland

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) is a species of passerine bird in the family Corvidae. The Eurasian jay is a woodland bird that occurs over a vast region from western Europe and north-west Africa to the Indian subcontinent and farther to the eastern seaboard of Asia and down into south-east Asia.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Eurasian Jay?

The Eurasian Jay is about 34–35 cm long, with a wingspan of 54 cm and weighs around 160 g.

Where does the Eurasian Jay live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic, Oriental: widespread, also northwestern Africa. It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Portugal and Israel.

When is the best time to see the Eurasian Jay?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Eurasian Jay endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Eurasian Jay as Least Concern.

What does the Eurasian Jay eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Eurasian Jay in?

It belongs to the family Crows, Jays (Corvidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length: 34–35 cm
Wingspan: 54 cm
Weight: 160 g
Habitat: Forest
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Perches in trees
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 181 mm
Tail: 147 mm
Bill: 34 mm
Tarsus: 41 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic, Oriental: widespread, also northwestern Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 5

Garrulus glandarius brandtii s Siberia, n Mongolia, nw, ne China, Korean Pen. and n Japan
Garrulus glandarius kansuensis c China
Garrulus glandarius pekingensis e China
Garrulus glandarius sinensis n Myanmar and s, e China
Garrulus glandarius taivanus Taiwan (China)