Species BirdsPinyon Jay

Pinyon Jay

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

UncommonBird
Illustration of Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)

The Pinyon Jay is an entirely blue, crow-like jay that lives in permanent flocks of 50–500 birds in pinyon-juniper woodlands. It is one of the few jays that nests colonially, sometimes with over 150 pairs in a single flock's territory. Its long, pointed bill is specially adapted to extracting pinyon pine seeds from green cones before they open.

Habitat
Pinyon-juniper woodlands of the Great Basin and Southwest
Diet
Pinyon pine seeds, insects, and berries
How common
Uncommon

Recent Pinyon Jay sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spot a Pinyon Jay? Identify it instantly.

Point Huck at any plant or animal and get an instant ID, rarity, and field notes — building your personal nature collection as you go.

Get Huck — free

More birds

Acorn Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
American Avocet
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana
American Bittern
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
American Black Duck
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
American Coot
American Coot
Fulica americana
American Crow
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
American Flamingo
American Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber
American Golden-Plover
American Golden-Plover
Pluvialis dominica