- Cyanocorax cyanomelas
Identification
37cm (14½ in).
- Short black frontal crest
- Brownish-black head, throat and breast
- Rest of plumage dull bluish-purple with brownish wash
- Blackish undertail
- Dark brown iris
- Black bills and legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles are paler and duller than adults.
Distribution
Found from extreme southeast Peru to Bolivia, Paraguay, southwest Brazil, north Argentina and northwest Uruguay.
Generally fairly common.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
May form a superspecies with Azure Jay and probably also Violaceous Jay and Curl-crested Jay.
Habitat
Subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and heavily degraded former forest. Occurs mainly in the lowlands but recorded up to 2000m.
Behaviour
They are noisy and conspicuous usually moving in groups of about 6 birds.
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates, fruits and berries. May also take eggs and nestlings.
Breeding
Breeding recorded from October to December. One described nest was made of twigs and creeper stems and placed 3m above the ground in a low tree. Lays 2 - 6 eggs.
Movements
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Purplish Jay. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Purplish_Jay
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
