Species · GBIF taxon 5844900
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseiiAlso known as Woodhouse's Jay, Rocky Mountain Scrub-Jay, Great Basin Scrub-Jay
Woodhouse's scrub-jays are highly intelligent, inquisitive corvids that form long-term monogamous pairs and defend permanent territories year-round. They possess a remarkable spatial memory, caching thousands of pinyon pine seeds and acorns each autumn and retrieving them with incredible accuracy throughout the winter. Their vocal repertoire is diverse, featuring harsh, rasping shriek calls that alert the entire woodland community to approaching predators.
IntelligentVocalAdaptable
Licensed referencePeter Wallack / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Pinyon Pine Seeds
- Acorns
- Insects
Predators
- Cooper's Hawk
- Domestic Cat
- Gopher Snake
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, climate change affecting pinyon pines, West Nile virus
HabitatsPinyon-juniper woodlands, oak scrublands, suburban gardens
Life span9 to 15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- SpeciesAphelocoma woodhouseii
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Feeder Offerings: Provide whole peanuts, sunflower seeds, or suet to attract these curious birds to your yard.
- Watch for Caching: Observe their behavior after taking food, as they often fly off to bury it in nearby soil.
- Listen for Alarms: Pay attention to their harsh scolding calls, which often signal the presence of a hawk or owl.
Competitor "Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus (pinyon jay) (Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, USA)" by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Dawn Beattie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Zoltán Stekkelpak · cc0
Close Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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