Green Jay

Overview

Green Jay: Medium, tropical jay with green back, yellow underparts, and distinct black bib. Head and nape are pale blue and has a short crest. Tail is long, blue-green, and yellow-edged. Bill, legs and feet are black. Omnivorous. Direct flight with steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.

Overview

Green Jay: Medium, tropical jay with green back, yellow underparts, and distinct black bib. Head and nape are pale blue and has a short crest. Tail is long, blue-green, and yellow-edged. Bill, legs and feet are black. Omnivorous. Direct flight with steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.

INTERESTING FACTS

Green Jays have been observed using sticks as tools to extract insects from tree bark. Its specific name, yncas, is an alternate form of "Inca," for the first descriptions of this species were based on birds taken in Peru.
The Central American and South American populations are separated by 900 miles. The two groups differ in color, calls, and habitat use, and may be different species.
A group of jays has many collective nouns, including a "band", "cast", "party", and "scold" of jays.

The Green Jay has a large range, estimated globally at 580,000 square kilometers. It is native to Central America, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States and prefers forest, savanna, or shrubland ecosystems. The estimated global population of the bird is 500,000 to 5,000,000 individuals. The population shows no signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. Because of these population trends, the current evaluation level of the Green Jay is Least Concern.