Montana Field Guide

Dark blue- or black-crested jay, about 30-34 cm long, 100-140 g. Irides dark brown. Bill, legs, and feet black in both sexes. Brownish black to jet black head, crest and upper breast, with slight gloss; light blue streaks on forehead; and grayish white throat-patch. Back dark grayish brown to grayish black, not usually contrasting noticeable with black of head. Lower breast dark greenish blue; lighter under tail. Wings deep, rich blue; tail dark blue or purplish blue. Plumage of sexes similar (Greene et al. 1998).

For a comprehensive review of the conservation status, habitat use, and ecology of this and other Montana bird species, please see Marks et al. 2016, Birds of Montana.

Coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forest, open woodland, orchards, and gardens including humid coniferous forest in northwest North America. Habituates readily to humans and is well known at feeders, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Normally nonmigratory, although populations that breed at high elevations typically move to lower elevations during the winter (Greene et al. 1998).

Omnivorous. Consumes wide variety of animal and plant food including arthropods, nuts, seeds, berries, fruits, small vertebrates, and eggs and young of smaller birds. At feeders, picnic areas and campgrounds, consumes wide variety of foods such as suet, sunflower seeds, peanuts, meat, cheese, bread, and cookies (Greene et al. 1998).

Nests typically placed on horizontal branches close to trunk, often close to top of tree. When nesting close to human habitation, frequently nests close to a window, building, or path, above ground in bushes or trees. Eggs are subelliptical to short subelliptical. Bluish green in color and irregularly marked. Clutch size ranges 2 to 6, usually 4 or 5 (Greene et al. 1998). Nests with eggs have been reported on June 28, with young out of the nest on August 17. Egg dates are probably similar to those in Wyoming, as early as May 15.