Alberta,blue,jay

31.05.2008

The Jay is a colourful crow that is about the same size as a Jackdaw.

They are mostly a pinkish brown, the underparts being slightly paler. The head has a black and white flecked crown, black moustache and white throat. The white rump contrasts starkly with the black tail. The iris of the eye is a pale blue, the bill is black and the legs are pink-brown. The wings are mostly black with white patches but also have striking blue patches, but close to these wing patches are actually bands of graduated shades of blue:

The Jay can raise its crown feathers to a crest when excited or displaying. Perhaps for this reason, novice birdwatchers sometimes confuse Jays with Hoopoes.

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