Aphelocoma coerulescens
Florida scrub jay
(Also: Florida scrub-jay)

Florida scrub jays, Aphelocoma coerulescens, 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. (Snyder, 1992)

Aphelocoma coerulescens 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. Aphelocoma coerulescens 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 (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)

Aphelocoma coerulescens 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 (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)

Average lifespan is 4.5 years, but Florida scrub jays are known to live for up to 11 years in the wild. (Snyder, 1992)

Aphelocoma coerulescens is both social and territorial. Family members cooperate in breeding, hunting, and defense. They are strongly territorial and use a lookout system to keep other members of the nest safe from harm. One bird perches on a high point and looks for predators. When one is spotted, the lookout gives a specific call to alert family members to take cover. Females use a distinctive hiccup call when interacting with other individuals. Nesting groups of A. coerulescens work together in foraging and territory defense. There is a dominance scheme in the family structure, breeding males are most dominant, followed by helper males, breeding female, and helper females. The breeding territory is inherited by the helper male when the breeding male dies or is unable to continue to breed. The helper females branch out from the nesting area and assume breeding roles in other territories when they leave the nest. Birds from one territory have been known to work together to prey on the eggs from another brood. This has been known to occur when only the breeding female is protecting the eggs and a group of invading individuals come near the nest. The breeding female head bobs and hiccups at the intruders and chases after them when they get too close to the nest. While she is chasing one intruder, another may enter the nest and steal an egg. These birds are also known to practice cooperative hunting of other species. Individuals may mob a large vertebrate in defense or hunting, and also have been observed to hunt snakes in pairs. Florida scrub jays are diurnal. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999; Bowman, 2003; Garvin, Reynolds, and Schoech, 2002)

Home Range

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, Reynolds, and Schoech, 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)

There are no known adverse effects of A. coerulescens on humans

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)

Overall numbers of A. coerulescens 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. ("South Florida multi-species recovery plan", 1999)

Aphelocoma coerulescens 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 A. coerulescens only includes Florida scrub jay populations. Other scrub jays are now 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)