The Canada Jay, formerly called Gray Jay or 'Whiskey Jack,' is a friendly, bold corvid of the boreal forest famous for approaching humans at campsites to steal food. It caches thousands of food items in tree bark using saliva-formed boluses that freeze in winter — a unique food-preservation strategy. It nests in late winter on snow-covered ground, with young hatching in March.
Habitat
Boreal coniferous forests and subalpine forests
Diet
Berries, fungi, cached food, insects, and carrion
How common
Common
Recent Canada Jay sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Canada 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