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Steller's Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

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.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
14 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
16 years[4]

Steller's Jay is a bird in the crow and jay family, Corvidae[5]. It is ranked Secure across its range and is native to 14 western US states and territories, including Alaska, California and Colorado[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives Steller's Jay a global rank of G5 and a US national rank of N5, and both mean Secure[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The bird is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. It is still on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected

Where Steller's Jay lives

NatureServe lists Steller's Jay as native in 14 states and territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming[3]. NatureServe also gives each state its own rank[9]. Sighting reports on GBIF come most often from California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Arizona, but that reflects where people look and report, not where the most birds live[10]. National Park Service lists record the bird in 90 park units[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: native, state rank S5WAIdaho: native, state rank S5IDMontana: native, state rank S5MTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: native, state rank S5ORNevada: native, state rank S4NVWyoming: native, state rank S5BWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S4UTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank SNRNNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: native, state rank S4AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S5B,S5NNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4BTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (14 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS5Secure
ArizonaS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS5Secure
IdahoS5Secure
MontanaS5Secure
NebraskaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
NevadaS4Apparently Secure
New MexicoS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
OregonS5Secure
TexasS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
UtahS4Apparently Secure
WashingtonS5Secure
WyomingS5BSecure (breeding)

Habitat

Steller's Jay lives in forests and woodlands of hardwood, conifer and mixed trees[12]. NatureServe notes it in humid conifer forest in northwestern North America and in drier pine and oak forest[13]. It also turns up in open woodland, campsites, orchards, gardens and along streamside areas[12][13]. Nests are usually built in a conifer tree, and sometimes in a shrub[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

Steller's Jay eats acorns, pine seeds, fruit, insects and spiders, along with small reptiles and amphibians and the eggs and young of small birds[14]. It looks for food both in trees and on the ground[14]. A typical adult is about 29 cm (11 in) long[15] and weighs about 106 g[16]. A clutch is 3 to 5 eggs, usually 4, and the female sits on the eggs while both adults tend the young[17]. The oldest known banded bird was at least 16 years 1 months old[4]. These are records and not typical lifespans.

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 29 cm (11 in)
Typical adult weight[16] 106 g (3.7 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[18] 16.1 years (wild)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 16 years 1 months
Litter or clutch size[19] 4
Gestation or incubation[20] 16 days
Female maturity[21] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[22] Carnivore, Invertivore, Granivore, Frugivore
Migration[23] non-migrant, local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[24]

  • 20% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 20% seeds
  • 20% other vertebrates
  • 20% invertebrates
  • 20% fruit

When to look for it

Steller's Jay is diurnal, which means it is active in the daytime[25]. Some birds stay put all year and others make short local moves, and populations can differ[23]. NatureServe notes that birds may shift from mountains to lowlands in winter or move a little to the south[26]. GBIF sighting reports peak in May, June and September, which shows when people report the bird and not how many birds there are[27].

January: 143,520 recordsJanFebruary: 155,953 recordsFebMarch: 175,354 recordsMarApril: 217,899 recordsAprMay: 254,312 recordsMayJune: 234,391 recordsJunJuly: 193,739 recordsJulAugust: 199,717 recordsAugSeptember: 229,578 recordsSepOctober: 206,388 recordsOctNovember: 140,575 recordsNovDecember: 135,833 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
January143,520
February155,953
March175,354
April217,899
May254,312
June234,391
July193,739
August199,717
September229,578
October206,388
November140,575
December135,833

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Steller's Jay as present in 90 park units[11]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 66 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Steller's Jay endangered?
No. It is ranked Secure by NatureServe and is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[2][6][1].
Where does the Steller's Jay live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 14 western states and territories, from Alaska and Washington down to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas[3].
What does a Steller's Jay eat?
It eats acorns, pine seeds, fruit, insects and spiders, small reptiles and amphibians, and the eggs and young of small birds[14].
How big is a Steller's Jay?
A typical adult is about 29 cm (11 in) long[15] and weighs about 106 g[16].
How long does a Steller's Jay live?
The oldest known banded bird was at least 16 years 1 months old[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Steller's 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 Steller's Jay: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Steller's Jay as native in 14 US states and territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Steller's Jay from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 16 years 1 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a bird in the family Corvidae, order Passeriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Steller's 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 state ranks for Steller's Jay (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Steller's Jay: California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. NPSpecies park lists recording Steller's Jay as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Steller's Jay: Forest - hardwood, Forest - conifer, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Suburban/orchard, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Steller's Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Steller's Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 29 cm (11 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 106 g (3.7 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  17. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Steller's Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 16.1 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4. AnAge
  20. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 16 days. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  22. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Invertivore, Granivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  23. NatureServe migration category for Steller's Jay: non-migrant, local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  24. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 20% warm-blooded vertebrates, 20% seeds, 20% other vertebrates, 20% invertebrates, 20% fruit. EltonTraits 1.0
  25. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on migration for Steller's Jay. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of Steller's Jay in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

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.