Size: 10.5”
Plumage/Description: Male and female plumage similar. Long billed and short tailed, no crest. Uniformly blue all over, darker blue on the head, paler on the belly, back and wings.
Habitat: Oak/Chaparral, Pinyon/Juniper
Time of year: Primarily in winter, a seasonal transient species
Relative Abundance: Uncommon
Behavior: A very nomadic species, ranging far and wide in search of pinyon pine nuts. Occurs in flocks, sometimes in the hundreds. Will visit seed feeders where they will descend on a feeder and empty it in no time. Due to their nomadic nature they are not seen very often, but when they are present it is possible to see them in large numbers. Often heard before seen, vocalize in flight.
Diet: Nuts, Seeds, Insects
Similar species: Western Scrub-Jay
Best Sites: In the hills that run north and south between Chino Valley and Williamson Valley, Camp Wood area
