Appearance: Large bird 11″ long, slender, shades of bright azure blue and gray, brown patch on the back, white underparts, blue necklace, and long tail. Females look the same.
Diet: Insects, nuts (especially acorns), seeds, fruit, other birds’ eggs and nestlings, and small animals.
Feeder Food: Whole peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet.
Habitat: Along the edges of the west coast including from Baja, Mexico to the southernmost part of British Columbia. Prefer open areas with ample trees and scrubs even within suburban and urban areas.
Nesting: Large and bulky open-cup nest of twigs and bark, in a tree or bush about 3-10′ up. 2-3 eggs/brood, incubated for 15-17 days, and young fledge between 18-23 days. Eggs are 1-1.5″ long, pale green blotched with olive, or pale gray spotted with brown.
Range Map
