In California, coloration varies from relatively dark individuals on the central coast (e.g., San Francisco Bay) to paler birds in the Central Valley, where the crown, hindneck, sides of neck, and breast are less purplish, and in the northeast, where birds are grayer. In flight, a long series of "check-check-check" notes are emitted. The “blue jay” of dry lowlands along the Pacific seaboard, the California Scrub-Jay combines deep azure blue, clean white underparts, and soft gray-brown. California Scrub-Jays are medium-sized birds of the crow and jay family. New Species. The blue jay, with its bold coloration and even bolder personality, is one of the most common and familiar backyard birds in the eastern United States. These birds range from the Baja Penninsula in Mexico up to the Pacific Northwest. It kept the scientific name of the Western Scrub-Jay. These birds range from the Baja Penninsula in Mexico up to the Pacific Northwest. The California Scrub-Jay is seen along the western side of the Rocky Mountains next to the Pacific coast. The western scrub jay's plumage and behavior differ greatly between interior and coastal populations. Show Aliases. Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata. Split History. The “blue jay” of dry lowlands along the Pacific seaboard, the California Scrub-Jay combines deep azure blue, clean white underparts, and soft gray-brown. The interior race, which is paler with less contrast and lacks the pronounced blue breast band, is now called Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii). California Scrub-Jay becomes scarce on the coastal-desert transition in southern California. Scientific Name: Aphelocoma californica Length 11.5 in Wingspan 15.5 in Weight 3 oz AOU Band code CASI. They are found along the western coast of the United States and down Baja California. Western Scrub-Jay is now split into two species: the California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii). The California Scrub-Jay (Scientific name - Aphelocoma californica) is one of two species (the other Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay) that were formerly both known as the Western Scrub Jay. Scientific Name: Aphelocoma californica. They readily come to backyard bird feeders. Its intelligence and willingness to visit feeders make this member of the Corvidae bird family a welcome guest for many birders, and it's easy to find blue jays in your yard. While many refer to scrub jays as "blue jays", the Blue Jay is a different species of bird entirely. ... Corvus brachyrhynchos. The other species is now called the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. The “blue jay” of dry lowlands along the Pacific seaboard, the California Scrub-Jay combines deep azure blue, clean white underparts, and soft gray-brown. Their preferred Kingdom - Animals - Animalia. Scrub jays along the Pacific coast will now be called California scrub jays, which will keep the Western's scientific name, while the paler, smaller-billed jays in the far eastern reaches of the state are now officially referred to as Woodhouse's scrub jay, or Aphelocoma woodhouseii. Show Aliases. The Western Scrub Jay was once lumped with the Island Scrub Jay and the Florida Scrub Jay; the taxon was then called, simply, the Scrub Jay. Bill, legs, feet are black. The Western Scrub-Jay is now made up of three species. Ornithologists determined that scrub jays found along the California coast are different from the jays found in the eastern part of the state – so much so as to require a new species. ... Western Scrub-Jay, Western Scrub Jay, California Scrub Jay, Florida Scrub-Jay, Island Scrub-Jay, Scrub Jay.