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Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Bird · family Corvidae · order Passeriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Blue Jay
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
45 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
26 years[4]

The Blue Jay is a bird in the crow family, Corvidae[5]. It is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native in 45 US states and territories[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Blue Jay as Secure worldwide (G5)[2] and Secure in the United States for both breeding and nonbreeding birds[6]. The IUCN Red List puts it in the Least concern category[7]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1], but it is protected as a migratory bird under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8]. Survey data still showed a significant drop in its North American numbers between 1966 and 1989[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected

Where Blue Jay lives

NatureServe lists the Blue Jay as native in 45 US states and territories, from Maine and Florida to Texas, Montana and Washington[3]. The page table shows the NatureServe rank for each of these states[10]. People report it most often in New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Massachusetts and Ohio on GBIF, which reflects where observers look, not how many birds live there[11].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank S5MEWisconsin: native, state rank S5WIVermont: native, state rank S5VTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: native, state rank SNAWAIdaho: native, state rank S1NIDMontana: native, state rank S5MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRB,SNRNNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: native, state rank S5BWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: native, state rank S5BIAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5BPANew Jersey: native, state rank S5B,S5NNJConnecticut: native, state rank S5CTRhode Island: native, state rank S5BRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: native, state rank SNAUTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank S5MOKentucky: native, state rank S5B,S5NKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5B,S5NWVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S5B,S5NMDDelaware: native, state rank S5DEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4B,S4NNMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S5ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5B,S5NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S4N,S5BDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5BMSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5BTXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (45 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArkansasS5Secure
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutS5Secure
DelawareS5Secure
District of ColumbiaS4N,S5BApparently Secure (nonbreeding), Secure (breeding)
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoS1NCritically Imperiled (nonbreeding)
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS5BSecure (breeding)
KansasS5Secure
KentuckyS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS5Secure
MarylandS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MississippiS5BSecure (breeding)
MissouriS5Secure
MontanaS5Secure
NebraskaS5Secure
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseyS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
New MexicoS4B,S4NApparently Secure (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
North DakotaSNRB,SNRNNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
PennsylvaniaS5BSecure (breeding)
Rhode IslandS5BSecure (breeding)
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS5Secure
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5BSecure (breeding)
UtahSNANot Applicable
VermontS5Secure
VirginiaS5Secure
WashingtonSNANot Applicable
West VirginiaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS5Secure
WyomingS5BSecure (breeding)

Habitat

Blue Jays live in hardwood, conifer and mixed forests and woodlands, in suburbs and orchards, in wooded wetlands and along streams[12]. They favor leafy or mixed woods, open woods, parks and neighborhoods with trees, and show up less in open ground with only a few trees[13]. They often build their nest about 3 to 8 m up in a fork or on a branch of a tree, shrub or vine, and both parents help build it[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

Blue Jays eat acorns, nuts, fruit, seeds, insects and other small animals[14]. One estimate puts their diet at about 40% seeds, 20% invertebrates, 20% fruit, 10% warm-blooded animals and 10% reptiles and amphibians[15]. They hide lots of small food stores, often acorns, in the ground[14]. An adult is about 28 cm (11 in) long[16] and weighs about 87 g[17]. A clutch has 3 to 6[18]. The female does most or all of the work of keeping it warm for 16 to 18 days[18]. The the young leave the nest at 17 to 21 days with care from both parents[18]. The oldest known wild Blue Jay was at least 26 years 11 months old[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 28 cm (11 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 87 g (3.1 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[19] 26.2 years (captivity)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 26 years 11 months
Litter or clutch size[20] 4
Gestation or incubation[21] 17 days
Female maturity[22] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[23] Carnivore, Invertivore, Granivore, Frugivore
Migration[24] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[15]

  • 40% seeds
  • 20% invertebrates
  • 20% fruit
  • 10% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 10% reptiles and amphibians

When to look for it

Blue Jays are diurnal, which means they are active during the day[25]. Some populations stay put while others move short or long distances[24]. Some northern birds head to the southern part of the breeding range, and how many move can depend on how much food there is[26]. GBIF records peak in April, May and October, which shows when people report the bird, not how many there are[27].

January: 1,430,542 recordsJanFebruary: 1,638,193 recordsFebMarch: 1,579,637 recordsMarApril: 2,393,967 recordsAprMay: 2,996,279 recordsMayJune: 1,425,338 recordsJunJuly: 1,167,175 recordsJulAugust: 1,304,483 recordsAugSeptember: 1,993,831 recordsSepOctober: 2,053,925 recordsOctNovember: 1,408,076 recordsNovDecember: 1,333,369 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[27].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,430,542
February1,638,193
March1,579,637
April2,393,967
May2,996,279
June1,425,338
July1,167,175
August1,304,483
September1,993,831
October2,053,925
November1,408,076
December1,333,369

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Blue Jay as present in 158 park units[28]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 134 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Blue Jay endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe ranks it as Secure worldwide[2]. It is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].
Where do Blue Jays live in the US?
NatureServe lists the Blue Jay as native in 45 US states and territories[3]. It lives in forests, woodlands, suburbs and orchards[12].
What do Blue Jays eat?
They eat acorns, nuts, fruit, seeds, insects and small animals[14]. Seeds make up about 40% of their estimated diet[15].
How big is a Blue Jay?
An adult is about 28 cm (11 in) long[16] and weighs about 87 g[17].
How long do Blue Jays live?
The oldest known wild Blue Jay was at least 26 years 11 months old[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Blue Jay is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Blue Jay: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Blue Jay as native in 45 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Blue Jay from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 26 years 11 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a bird in the family Corvidae, order Passeriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Blue Jay is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe notes on trend for Blue Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Blue Jay (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Blue Jay: New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Blue Jay: Forest - hardwood, Forest - conifer, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Suburban/orchard, Forested wetland, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Blue Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Blue Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 40% seeds, 20% invertebrates, 20% fruit, 10% warm-blooded vertebrates, 10% reptiles and amphibians. EltonTraits 1.0
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 28 cm (11 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 87 g (3.1 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Blue Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 26.2 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  20. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4. AnAge
  21. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 17 days. AnAge
  22. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  23. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Invertivore, Granivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  24. NatureServe migration category for Blue Jay: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  25. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on migration for Blue Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of Blue Jay in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  28. NPSpecies park lists recording Blue Jay as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.