Jay. (Garrulus glandarius)
Habitat
Eurasian jays prefer dense foliage, with plenty of trees, bushes, and undergrowth. Trees are essential due to their arboreal lifestyles, though they also forage on the ground. High levels of biodiversity are important so they can enjoy varied diets. Eurasian jays store and eat acorns, so oak trees are important features of their habitat. Deciduous oak forests are preferred for foraging, but coniferous forests provide the best nesting places. Eurasian jays do not like open areas and will avoid entering them if possible. They are most vulnerable to predators in open areas.
Habitat Regions temperate terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes forest scrub forest
Other Habitat Features suburban agricultural riparian
Physical Description
Eurasian jay plumage is mainly light reddish brown. Their feathers reflect UV light. Their crests, which are frequently raised during communication, are white with black speckles. Their beaks are black, and black moustache stripes extend downward from the ends of their beaks. Their tails are black dorsally with a white patch around the base. Their wings have bright blue spots with black speckles. These blue areas appear like triangles or a band, though their orientation and size changes when the wings are spread (they enlarge when spread). There are white bands on the wings, visible during flight. The rest of the wings are black, except for a red triangle where the wing attaches to the body. They often carry their wings so the tips are both on one side of the tail
When compared to other corvids, like Corvus and Pica species, Eurasian jays hold their tail rather high. For this reason the tail feathers incur less damage than in the other genera. Unlike other corvids, Eurasian jays have two plumage phases: juvenile and adult. Other corvids can be aged by a sequence of plumages, but ageing is more difficult in Eurasian jays. They lose their juvenile plumage by autumn of the first year, so birds seen in autumn all appear to be adults.
Jay. (Garrulus glandarius)
Habitat
Eurasian jays prefer dense foliage, with plenty of trees, bushes, and undergrowth. Trees are essential due to their arboreal lifestyles, though they also forage on the ground. High levels of biodiversity are important so they can enjoy varied diets. Eurasian jays store and eat acorns, so oak trees are important features of their habitat. Deciduous oak forests are preferred for foraging, but coniferous forests provide the best nesting places. Eurasian jays do not like open areas and will avoid entering them if possible. They are most vulnerable to predators in open areas.
Habitat Regions temperate terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes forest scrub forest
Other Habitat Features suburban agricultural riparian
Physical Description
Eurasian jay plumage is mainly light reddish brown. Their feathers reflect UV light. Their crests, which are frequently raised during communication, are white with black speckles. Their beaks are black, and black moustache stripes extend downward from the ends of their beaks. Their tails are black dorsally with a white patch around the base. Their wings have bright blue spots with black speckles. These blue areas appear like triangles or a band, though their orientation and size changes when the wings are spread (they enlarge when spread). There are white bands on the wings, visible during flight. The rest of the wings are black, except for a red triangle where the wing attaches to the body. They often carry their wings so the tips are both on one side of the tail
When compared to other corvids, like Corvus and Pica species, Eurasian jays hold their tail rather high. For this reason the tail feathers incur less damage than in the other genera. Unlike other corvids, Eurasian jays have two plumage phases: juvenile and adult. Other corvids can be aged by a sequence of plumages, but ageing is more difficult in Eurasian jays. They lose their juvenile plumage by autumn of the first year, so birds seen in autumn all appear to be adults.