Florida scrub jays, (Snyder, 1992), occur from the Florida panhandle through central Florida. Florida scrub jays previously occupied most of the counties of peninsular Florida, they are currently found from Flagler, Marion, and Citrus counties in the north to Collier, Glades, and Palm Beach counties in the south.
Quercus virginiana), Chapman oak (Quercus chapmanii), myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), and scrub oak (Quercus inopina). Florida scrub jays may also be found in suburban areas. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Snyder, 1992; Sullivan, 1994)is a habitat specialist, living mainly in scrub woodlands of peninsular Florida. These birds prefer thickets of sand pine and scrub oak, recently burned sites, and shore-dune thickets, all habitats found on the sandy soils of this area. is found in scrub habitats along coasts, rivers, and on some high inland ridges. They will not generally nest in heavily forested areas. Dominant tree species in Florida scrub jay habitat are sand live oak (
Cyanocitta), but do not have a crest, white-tipped wings or tail feathers, or black barring. Molting occurs between June and November, and is at its highest between July and September. During late summer and early fall juveniles cannot be distinguished from adults. ("National Audubon Society", 2002; "South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Forbush, 1925; Sullivan, 1994)is usually between 25 and 30 cm long and weighs about 77 grams. The plumage of adult males and females looks alike, but males are slightly larger than females. The head, nape, wings, and tail are pale blue. The back and belly are pale gray. The throat and chest are white and bordered by a blue gray bib. Juveniles differ in appearance from adults in that they have dull or dark brown upperparts. Florida scrub jays look similar to other jays (
Florida scrub jays mate for life. This species uses a technique called cooperative breeding, where extended families live together but have only one breeding pair. Courtship of a breeding pair is drawn out, with males using vocalizations and posturing to attract females. Average nesting groups consist of three birds, but can range from two to eight. Helper birds are usually the young of the original breeding pair. Copulation is discreet and not visible to other jays. Helper jays help the breeding pair by defending the territory and providing food for young. Helper birds are reproductively capable, and evidence suggests that they delay breeding because they are unlikely to be successful in reproducing. When helpers do go on to become breeders in a new nest, males generally inherit their natal territory when the breeding male dies. Females emigrate from their natal area. If the mate of a breeding adult dies, that adult may take on helper roles and relinquish their role as a breeder. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Schoech, 1998)
Nesting occurs from early March to late June. Florida scrub jays breed for the first time between the ages of 1 and 7 years, with most individuals breeding for the first time between 2 and 4 years of age. The eggs of are pea green to pale glaucous green and spotted with irregularly shaped markings. Helper male birds have lower testosterone levels than breeding males. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Schoech, 1998; Snyder, 1992)
Fledglings depend on adults for food for about 10 weeks. Only the breeding pair builds the nest; which is about 18 to 20 cm in outer diameter, and 9 to 10 cm inner diameter. Nests are usually 1 to 2 meters from the ground. Only the breeding female incubates the eggs. Feeding of fledglings is done by both the breeding pair and helper birds. Helper birds do not incubate eggs or brood nestlings. Florida scrub jays use a lookout technique to watch for predators where one bird is chosen as the lookout and watches for oncoming attacks from a high position. Breeders and helpers will help chase away egg predators, which can be other species or other Florida scrub jays. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Garvin, et al., 2002; Schoech, 1998)
Average lifespan is 4.5 years, but Florida scrub jays are known to live for up to 11 years in the wild. (Snyder, 1992)
Florida scrub jay territories average 9 to 10 hectares, but are known to be as small as 5 hectares. The main limiting factor for territory size is habitat availability. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)
Florida scrub jays communicate using visual cues such as head bobbing; a movement used during territorial encounters. The complexity of their cooperation in defense, breeding, and hunting also suggests that intra-nest communication is important. They use vocalizations to exchange information and warn predators, such as the hiccup sound produced by female birds. Another example of this is the warning calls that these birds use to alert each other to the presence of predators. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Garvin, et al., 2002)
These birds generally forage near the ground. They search for food by hopping along the ground. Acorns are the most important part of the diet, which they bury and cache for later use. Other nuts and fruits are also eaten. Florida scrub jays also eat insects, such as grasshoppers (Orthoptera) and butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), bird eggs, and small vertebrates such as frogs, snakes, lizards, and mice. Some of these are Hyla cinerea, H. squirella, Anolis carolinenis, A. sagrei, Cnemidophorus sexlineatus, Coluber constrictor, Tantilla relicta relicta, Opheodrys aestivus, Mus musculus, Peromyscus gossypinus, P. polionotus, and Podomys floridanus. Foods offered by humans are also eaten as a supplement. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)
Florida scrub jays defend themselves against predators by using lookouts to give warnings to other birds. They are social, alert, and aggressive and will actively mob predators. Scrub jays may be preyed on by predatory birds, such as hawks and falcons, or by domestic cats and bobcats. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)
Florida scrub jays play a role in maintaining population levels of insects and small vertebrates on which they feed. They also act as seed dispersers of scrub oaks (Quercus species) by caching acorns. This species is also known to eat ticks from the backs of large mammals such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)
These birds are well-loved by bird watchers. They have beautiful bright blue colors and are active and vocal. They are important subjects for research on the evolution of cooperation. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)
There are no known adverse effects ofon humans
Overall numbers of ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)are declining mainly due to habitat loss, even though most of its remaining habitat is public land. In an effort to stop this habitat destruction, land is being set aside to be left in a natural state where fires clear the area and create a scrub habitat. Some land is being allocated to be burned at regular intervals, and only portions will be burned at a time. Also, to avoid satellite systems, where groups of birds are geographically isolated from the larger group, corridor connections are being made in Florida Scrub-Jay habitat.
A. californica, western scrub jays, and A. ultramarina, Mexican jays or gray-breasted jays. Island scrub jays, A. insularis, occur on Santa Cruz Island, off the coast of California. Taxonomic revisions were based on genetic and behavioral evidence. An example of behavioral evidence is that only Florida scrub jays use a cooperative breeding strategy. ("TAXONOMIC CHANGES AND THE BBS DATABASE", 2001; Banks, 1983)once included scrub jays in California and Mexico as well, with the different populations identified as subspecies. Recently, this species has been revised so that only includes Florida scrub jay populations. Other scrub jays are now
Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
Eric Wohlford (author), Kalamazoo College, Ann Fraser (editor, instructor), Kalamazoo College.
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
uses sound to communicate
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
Referring to an animal that lives in trees; tree-climbing.
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
helpers provide assistance in raising young that are not their own
ranking system or pecking order among members of a long-term social group, where dominance status affects access to resources or mates
humans benefit economically by promoting tourism that focuses on the appreciation of natural areas or animals. Ecotourism implies that there are existing programs that profit from the appreciation of natural areas or animals.
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
union of egg and spermatozoan
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
Having one mate at a time.
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
Referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody (usually, but not always, a river or stream).
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
breeding is confined to a particular season
remains in the same area
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
places a food item in a special place to be eaten later. Also called "hoarding"
living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.
uses touch to communicate
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
Living on the ground.
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
The term is used in the 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals to refer collectively to species categorized as Endangered (E), Vulnerable (V), Rare (R), Indeterminate (I), or Insufficiently Known (K) and in the 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals to refer collectively to species categorized as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), or Vulnerable (VU).
uses sight to communicate
1999. South Florida multi-species recovery plan. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Accessed November 19, 2005 at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/vbpdfs/species/birds/fsja.pdf.
2002. "National Audubon Society" (On-line). Florida Scrub-Jay. Accessed November 19, 2005 at http://audubon2.org/webapp/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp?id=84.
2001. "TAXONOMIC CHANGES AND THE BBS DATABASE" (On-line). U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed November 21, 2005 at http://18.104.22.168/search?q=cache:Dl0t3iDCbGkJ:www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbsnews/AOUsplt1.htm+florida+scrub-jay+taxonomy+change&hl=en.
Banks, R. 1983. "Obsolete English Names of North American Birds and their Modern Equivalents" (On-line). Accessed November 22, 2005 at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/infobase/obsnames/obsname2.pdf.
Bowman, R. 2003. Apparent Cooperative Hunting in Florida Scrub-Jays. The Wilson Bulletin, 115/2: 197-199.
Forbush, E. 1925. A Natural History of American Birds of Eastern and Central North America. New York: Bramhall House.
Garvin, J., J. Reynolds, S. Schoech. 2002. Conspecific Egg Predation by Florida Scrub-Jays. The Wilson Bulletin, 114/1: 136-139.
Schoech, S. 1998. Physiology of Helping in Florida Scrub-Jays. American Scientist, 86: 70-77.
Snyder, S. 1992. "Fire Effects Information System" (On-line). Aphelocoma coerullescens. Accessed November 19, 2005 at http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/wildlife/bird/apco/all.html.
Sullivan, J. 1994. "Quercus incana" (On-line). Fire Effects Information System. Accessed November 21, 2005 at http://22.214.171.124/search?q=cache:eIG5AokS-n8J:www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/queinc/all.html+florida+oak+scrub+elevation&hl=en.