Life List 034
Visually documented
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
- First photographed
- February 25, 2026
- First location
- Colorado, United States
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated
An evolving study
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay portfolio
This collection grows as I return to photograph new behavior, habitat, seasons, and stages of life.
Natural history
Species at a glance
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
Overview
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay is an inquisitive western jay of dry woodlands and shrublands. It travels in pairs or family groups, caches food for later use, and often watches its surroundings from conspicuous perches.
Identification
A crestless jay with blue head, wings, and tail; a gray-brown back; pale gray underparts; and a whitish throat set off by a blue breast band. The bill is fairly long and stout.
Range
Resident from the interior western United States through the Great Basin, Rocky Mountain region, Southwest, and much of interior Mexico.
Habitat
Pinyon-juniper woodland, oak scrub, desert washes, open pine forest, canyon country, and wooded residential areas in dry landscapes.
Diet
Acorns, pine seeds, other nuts and seeds, fruit, insects, eggs, nestlings, and small vertebrates; surplus food is commonly cached.
Photography by Brittany Templin
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