Participant Photo: Blue Jay x Steller’s Jay hybrid?
Additional images:
I had 10 (exact count) Blue Jays at the feeder. 9 juveniles and 1 male. This juvenile was notably darker and lacked wing markings. A hybrid would be REALLY hard since I’m in Texas but this doesn’t look like a pure Blue Jay. Any ideas? https://ebird.org/checklist/S146972932
Categories: Corvids, Doves, Turkeys & more
Species: Blue Jay
Comments
7 comments on “Participant Photo: Blue Jay x Steller’s Jay hybrid?”
Steller’s x Blue Jay (hybrid):
https://media.ebird.org/catalog?mediaType=photo&taxonCode=x00622
It does look like a hybrid, I’ve never seen a jay like this before.
An unusual summer flock of blue jays came today. There was a few juveniles that looked almost like this one. I will try to photograph and post it. We do not have any Steller’s Jays here either (western species).
https://feederwatch.org/community/participant-photo/juvenile-blue-jay-4/
In your post, that is a molting adult, not a juvenile.
Also note the dark under the tail, dark gray head and belly, and lack of wing bars. Note: This is not a lighting issue, I never alter my photos or edit accept for very rarely cropping very distant shots.
Did not get a pic but just had a similar sighting in Windcrest (San Antonio), Tx.