Inca jay

Description

29.5–34.3 cm (11.6–13.5 in). The crown can appear mostly white, with blue limited to the frontal crest and nape. A black bib forms a broad band up to the sides of the head as well as a stripe through the eye line and one above it. The breast and underparts typically are bright yellow. The upper parts are rich green. It has large nasal bristles that form a distinct tuft in some subspecies, but are less developed in others. The color of the iris is bright yellow.

Taxonomy

The bird is usually lumped with the green jay of North America. Somewhat confusing in classification, the inca jay is then considered a subspecies of the green jay, even though the inca jay is nominate.

Breeding

Inca jays usually build a nest in a tree or in a thorny bush or thicket, and the female lays three to five eggs. Only the female incubates, but both parents take care of the young. In Colombia, Inca jays are recorded as retaining offspring for several years, and those young help the parents raise more chicks. In Venezuela, they have been observed being victims of nest parasitism by giant cowbirds.

Feeding

Their basic diet consists of arthropods, vertebrates, seeds, and fruit.

Voice

As with most of the typical jays, this species has a very extensive voice repertoire. The bird's most common call makes a rassh-rassh-rassh sound, but many other unusual notes also occur. One of the most distinctive calls sounds like an alarm bell.

Distribution and habitat

The range extends southwards in the Andes from the Colombia and Venezuela through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.