Peru Bird Species XII: Inca Jay

	Passeriformes
	Corvidae
	Cyanocorax
	Andes: Venezuela to Bolivia
	Least Concern

General Information

• Scientific name: Cyanocorax yncas
• Family: Corvidae (includes crows, jays, and magpies)
• First described: Boddaert, 1783

Distribution and Habitat

• Found in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
• Lives in humid montane forests, foothills, and wooded slopes
• Also occupies disturbed forests, secondary growth, and pine-oak woodlands

Physical Description

• Length: About 27 cm (10.6 inches)
• Weight: Between 66 and 92 grams (2.3–3.2 ounces)
• Coloration:
  • Bright green upperparts
  • Yellow belly
  • Black facial mask
  • Blue crest and crown
• Plumage varies slightly by region, with some subspecies having white foreheads or larger crests

Taxonomy and Classification

• Member of the genus Cyanocorax, the Neotropical jays
• Often compared to the Green Jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus) of Mexico and Central America
• Some taxonomists treat them as the same species, but differences in head plumage and crest support their separation

Diet and Feeding

• Omnivorous: Feeds on insects, small animals, fruits, seeds, and even bird eggs
• Forages in trees and shrubs, often in small family groups

Breeding

• Nests are cup-shaped and built in trees or thorny bushes
• Clutch size: 3 to 5 eggs
• Incubation: About 22 days
• Fledging: Chicks leave the nest after approximately 45 days
• Older siblings may help raise the young, a behavior known as cooperative breeding

Social Behavior

• Highly social and intelligent
• Lives in pairs or extended family groups
• Displays complex group coordination and communication

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern
• Widely distributed and fairly common throughout its Andean range

Comparison: Inca Jay vs. Green Jay

• Range: Andes (Colombia to Bolivia) vs Texas to Honduras
• Crest: Prominent blue nasal crest vs less developed crest
• Facial pattern: Black mask with blue crown vs blue-green head with variations 

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: Holmes Pantoja