Monochrome Jay (1 Viewer)

H

Harry

Member

• Feb 15, 2003

• #1

Can someone help a beginner please?

I am in Norther Brittany (25km south of Mont St. Michel) at the moment and while I appreciate that this is a UK based forum thought someone may be able to help.
This morning I saw what I can only describe as a monochrome Jay (there are lots of jays arounf here so even for a beginner I'm fairly familiar with them). It looked like a Jay and acted like a Jay, but there was no colour, only black white and intermediate monochrome shades. My Collins Field Guide doesn't ofer any assistance.

Any comments welcome.

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2003

• #2

Hi Harry(good name!),
If it was exactly like a Jay in all other respects(pattern of head etc,structure and behaviour),then it probably was an aberrant Jay.Such things do occur,though very rarely.
Harry

 

IanF

Moderator

• Feb 15, 2003

• #3

Just a thought but it couldn't have been a Hooded Crow could it or a hybridised one ? I see from the Collins Guide book that the range does extend to Northern France. Size and shape would be similar to a Jay, being of the same family.

 

Booga

Wil Wilson

• Feb 15, 2003

• #4

My thoughts concur Ian, I spent an hour or so on search engines and websites and in my books trying to find an elusive Jay but was frequently drawn back to the hooded crow.

Having said that, what Harry says makes sense also, although rare most species produce albino or mixed pigmentaion offspring at some point so it's possible that such a jay could occur. I'd love to see a photo of such a bird.

Booga

 

C

cjay

Well-known member

• Feb 15, 2003

• #5

This is a pied Jay. Not Common, but not unheard of. Lacks colour pigment for some reason.
CJ

 

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Harry

Member

• Feb 16, 2003

• #6

Many thanks for all for your constructive comments. It certainly wan't a Hooded Crow, I had a very clear sighting and was confident that it was a Jay without any colour, if such a thing were possible. From comments made it seems as if it is. It's certainly taught me to keep my camera more readily available at all times.
Once again, thanks.

 

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Yve_M

Colonial Member

• Feb 17, 2003

• #7

Hi Harry
From your description of the jay it sounded like our Canada Jay or Gray Jay. They have a black back of the head and a white crown, forehead, cheek and throat with the remainder of the bird all shades of grey. Ok, now here comes the stupid question since I don't know much about European birds. How about a Gray Jay? Or did everyone rule this out as absurd? I love this forum of the world!! Thanks for your thoughts.

 

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Harry

Member

• Feb 17, 2003

• #8

Thanks Yve_M. I checked out pictures of your Jay on the Web and it wasn't one of those. The head and face markings of the "ordinary" European Jay are very distinctive and the one I saw had these quite clearly. I just wish I'd had my camera ready - still, we live and learn.
Kind regards

 

Y

Yve_M

Colonial Member

• Feb 17, 2003

• #9

Harry, I knew it was a long shot, damn near impossible, but hey in the feathered world one never knows. Would like to see this pied jay photo sometime though. Good luck.