Violaceous Jay (Cyanocorax violaceus)

Order: Passeriformes | Family: Corvidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Amazonia, Colombia

Identification & Behavior: ~36.5 cm (14.3 in). The Violaceous Jay is bluish with a pale nape and back of the neck. It has a black mask that extends down to the breast. It forages in family groups at various sections of the forest in Amazonia but more often at forest edges. It is very similar to the Purplish Jay but is distinguished by a mostly blue plumage with pale nape and back of the neck. These two jays overlap only in southeast Peru.

Status: The Purplish Jay is fairly common and widespread in Amazonia where it is known to range up to 1400 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Urraca Violácea.

Sub-species: Violaceous Jay (Cyanocorax violaceus violaceus), Du Bus de Gisignies, 1847.

Meaning of Name: Cyanocorax: Gr. kuanos, cyaneus= dark-blue and korax, korakos= raven, crow. violaceus: L. violaceus= violet-coloured.

See more of the Family Corvidae

Distribution Map
Voice

References:

- Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum. http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 03/01/2016.

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