By Zachary Kieltyka
Geographic Range
Cyanolyca cucullata inhabits southeastern Mexico, mainly on the Caribbean slope (Blake 1953). South through east-central Oaxaca and interior Chiapas to Guatemala; Western Panama and Costa Rica. Cyanolyca cucullata is also found in ranges of the tropical forests, in foothills, and in lowlands, but only when these have continuous cloud forest (Goodwin 1986).
Biogeographic Regions:
nearctic 
(native ); neotropical (native ).
Habitat
Found in humid, tropical forests, including mountains.
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest ; rainforest ; mountains .
Physical Description
(35.2 oz)
Cyanolyca cucullata is similar in size to the Blue Jay, but has a larger body structure to support the amount of flying it must do. The feathers at the crown and nape are light, bright blue. The rest of the head, neck, upper mantle, and upper breast are black, and further down the body the feathers turn into a dark, purplish blue. There is a distinct white band that separates the bright blue head and the dark tones of the rest of the body. This band is a diagnostic feature of Cyanolyca cucullata. Young Cyanolyca cucullata have the same markings as adults, but the coloring is a lot duller, and the feathers are not nearly as shiny. The bright blue coloring makes the bird easy to spot and can make it more susceptible to predators (Goodwin 1986).
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
Mates usually preen each other (one bends down in front of the other and pulls down at the throat feathers). There tends to be a constant movement of the crown feathers that reveals the condition of the mate. Nests are extremely hard to find. Sometimes these jays take over the nests of other birds that have abandoned them. Nesting tends to occur in trees that are at high elevations. Three to four eggs are laid in the nest over a period of time. Once the young hatch, they remain in the nest for around twenty days. The parents will bring the young food and watch over them until it is safe for the offspring to leave. (Winnett-Murray et al. 1988).
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous .
Behavior
Cyanolyca cucullata are secretive dwellers of the humid forests. They often give off warning calls when they are in distress or feel threatened (Winnett-Murray et al. 1988). As members of the family Corvidae, these are probably extremely intelligent birds. Many corvids use ants to maintain their feather hygiene, use their toes to hold food, and use their bills to open seeds and eat. Many corvids also store seeds and nuts to be retrieved later. (Sick 1993). Cyanolyca cucullata tend to move in small groups of five to ten individuals and are extremely hard to find (Goodwin 1986) .
Key behaviors:
flies; motile .
Food Habits
Cyanolyca cucullata is omnivorous, eating seeds, berries, small dead animals, and occasionally steals bait from snares set for small mammals. Cyanolyca cucullata mostly forages in the canopy high above the forest floor(Goodwin 1986).
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
No specific negative effects are known, but some tropical jays are pests that destroy and eat crops such as pineapples, orchards, cane, vegetables, and potato plantings (Sick 1993).
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Seed caching behavior probably results in the spreading of seeds, increasing the distribution and diversity of plant species. (Sick 1993).
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Least Concern.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
Cyanolyca cucullata may be a rare bird like other Cyanolyca species, but it has not been well-studied. The first record of nesting was not published until 1984. Deforestation and other common threats could have an affect on the population of this bird (Winnett-Murray et al. 1988).
Contributors
Zachary Kieltyka (author), University of Michigan.
Phil Myers (editor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.
