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ID blue bird from Arches National Park (1 Viewer)

Atomic

Atomic

Active member
I shot this in Arches NP in October of 2004. I got four shots of him before he flew away. I didn't hear any sounds and I never saw him again. Any ideas?
 

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Hi Atomic,

Was this jay really entirely blue in life? I agree it is a Western Scrub-Jay, but they are not normally blue below.

Chris
 
My thought as well Chris, but assumed it was a photgraphic effect, since there are some grayish in there, at least on my monitor.

JanJ
 
bobsofpa said:
I think this is a Mountain Bluebird. The bill is too small for the Western Scrub-Jay.
Click to expand...

Although colour is right the primary projection is too short and the tail too long. Mind you the colour looks completely wrong for a Western Scrub Jay- no first hand experience though.
 
bobsofpa said:
I think this is a Mountain Bluebird. The bill is too small for the Western Scrub-Jay.
Click to expand...


Might throw my opinion in too!
Tail length and head/throat pattern/colouration definitely good for Western Scrub-jay, rather than bluebird.
On JanJ's second link, some of the Scrub-jay bills look small (angle of view maybe, bluebirds are smaller still though?)
 
We have to cut of the tail a bit, repaint the breast and make the primary projection longer, to start with.

Of all races of WSJ, none are this bluish on underparts, juveniles included. The obvious blue undertail coverts might indicate interior 'woodhouse´s' group which usually has blue undertail coverts, with duller gray underparts, the coastal 'californica' group usually has whitish, but may have bluish undertail coverts. Doesn´t 'woodhouse´s group have longer bills?

JanJ
 
Bluer then normal, but no way this is a Mountain Bluebird. None at all. It is fine for a Western SJ, the blue could have something to due with the camera or something.
 
Well then, and the bluish twigs yes. Now it looks good and fits better in the 'californica' group of birds. What do you say to that Atomic?
Thanks for that chubri.

JanJ
 
I don't know what you mean by blue twigs. I don't think my camera has anything to do with the blue. I took pictures of other WSJs at Arches and they look normal. The pix were taken at noon so it isn't a lighting issue.
 
Atomic said:
I don't know what you mean by blue twigs. I don't think my camera has anything to do with the blue. I took pictures of other WSJs at Arches and they look normal. The pix were taken at noon so it isn't a lighting issue.
Click to expand...

...don't feel offended - it's a good photo, but I agree with JanJ that the branches look a bit blue - it's just the light + the camera's setting at the time, nothing actually wrong with the camera.
 
I had some trouble with the coloring of jays in Colorado as well. Some seemed a bit too blue, I took no pictures.
 
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