California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica), Yuma, Yuma County

This California Scrub-Jay was found and photographed by Margaret Kunes on 22 August 2016 and identified by Chris McCreedy, and was further photographed by Mike Margolis on 27 August (confirming the identification), Chris McCreedy on 10 September, David Vander Pluym on 11 September and by Laurens Halsey on 12 September 2016

This would be a first state record if accepted by the ABC. Few would have expected this species to ever occur in Arizona, as it is non-migratory and not prone to wandering, unlike the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. However, there is at least one record from the Salton Sink (El Centro, also in August), several from the western edge of the Mojave desert downslope of breeding areas, and several inland in the montane west in Montana and Idaho. The nearest population to this sighting is about 80 miles west in the mountains flanking the Imperial Valley in California and Baja California Norte. To reach Yuma, this bird must have crossed both inhospitable desert and vast agricultural lands.

The Western Scrub-Jay was split this year into California and Woodhouse's scrub-jays. Woodhouse's is found irregularly in the lower Colorado River Valley, occurring in numbers in flight years but absent most years. All previous photographed or specimen records of scrub-jays from this region have been of Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. In contrast to the duller, grayer Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, this individual is deeper/darker blue overall, with a more distinct white eyebrow, black mask, and white bib. Dark blue spurs on the sides of the breast nearly frame the bib, and the underparts are whiter, particularly the undertail coverts which are white in this bird and dull blue in Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. Its bold, tame behavior and affinity for peanuts are also typical of California Scrub-Jay.

22 August 2016, photo by Margaret Kunes

27 August 2016, photo by Mike Margolis

 

10 September 2016, photo by Chris McCreedy

 

11 September 2016, photo by David Vander Pluym

12 September 2016, photo by Laurens Halsey

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