Florida Scrub-Jay
by Catherine Sherman
Title
Florida Scrub-Jay
Artist
Catherine Sherman
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
"Florida Scrub Jay Surveys Its Domain" by Catherine Sherman.
This Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) looks over his small domain in a wildlife refuge near Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The round-headed, blue and gray Florida Scrub-Jay is the only bird species that lives exclusively in Florida, where it occurs in patches of low-growing scrub oak in sandy soils. It perches tall with its long tail hanging down or boldly hops on the ground burying acorns. This social bird forms extended family groups: the young from previous years help their parents at subsequent nests until they can get a territory of their own, according to the All About Birds website. Florida scrub jays are one of the few cooperative breeding birds in North America.
Other websites referenced were Florida State Parks and Wikipedia.
Extensive development and habitat fragmentation in Florida threaten this bird’s already small population, placing it on the federal endangered species list. It is known to have been present in Florida as a distinct species for at least 2 million years.
Florida Scrub-Jays don't migrate, rarely move more than a few miles from where they hatched, and they don't like to move across areas that aren't scrub oak. Increased fragmentation of their habitat means that Florida Scrub-Jay populations are now very isolated. Jays from the Atlantic Coast, central Florida, and southwestern Florida have different vocalizations despite being separated by less than 100 miles.
The Florida Scrub-Jay's need for a specific habitat is one reason why scrub-jay numbers are declining. The only bird species that requires a sandy, scrubby habitat to survive is the Florida Scrub-jay.
As Florida's human population has grown, development has increased and the scrub-jays’ choice habitat has become more limited. A scrub-jay family’s permanent territory averages about 22 to 24 acres, which makes it challenging for young birds to find suitable space for a family.
The species is federally listed as threatened, in large part due to of loss of habitat and decades of fire suppression that allowed scrub habitat to become overgrown. Prescribed burning helps maintain the bare ground and shrub height vital for scrub-jay survival. The current Florida scrub-jay population is estimated at about 7,700 to 9,300 birds.
Uploaded
March 30th, 2019
Embed
Share
Comments (1)
Lynn Sprowl
A lovely Jay. Perfect capture....I noticed that he is banded. I was just wondering if they're as bossy as the Jays around here??? l/f
Catherine Sherman replied:
There are so few Florida Blue Jays that I think biologists make an effort to keep track of every one of them. They are adorable birds who seem to like to check out visitors.