Dull bluish gray overall. Authors: John M. Marzluff. GBBO’s Pinyon Jay telemetry project began in eastern Nevada’s White Pine County in 2008 with the first radio-telemetry study ever done on Nevada’s Pinyon Jays, which comprise nearly half of the species’ global population. The pinyon jay is about 9-11 inches in length, and it has a wingspan of about 18 inches. By volunteering, or simply sending us feedback on the site. Nests are usually built on the south side of ponderosa pine, pinyon pine, or junipers trees, but always in a location that had a good crop of pine seeds the previous fall. Data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) indicate that Pinyon Jay numbers have 4 Summary The Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), a New Mexico BLM Sensitive Species, has experienced significant population declines over the past 50 years. Number: Usually lay 3 … The Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a jay between the North American Blue Jay and the Eurasian Jay in size. Within each flock, 2-4 females may nest at one time; each is attended by one male, but may mate with other males in flock as well. Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)Associated Species: Other species that may use similar habitat components or respond positively to management for the Pinyon Jay are: Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, Cassin s Kingbird, Mountain Chickadee, Clark s Nutcracker (foraging). Enemies: The pinyon jay may be something of a nest robber, but it also has been preyed upon itself occasionally. It is almost always found in flocks, sometimes up to a hundred or more individuals. Chapter 1. Pinyon jays did nest near (but not within) treatment polygons in 2018, suggesting that moving planned treatments relatively small distances or initially siting them to avoid traditional pinyon jay nesting areas could achieve fuels management goals while avoiding serious impacts to pinyon jay nesting colonies. When pinyon seeds are abundant, the Pinyon Jay is one of the earliest-nesting passerines in North America. The pinyon jay population has shrunk by an estimated 85 percent since 1970, and another 50 percent of the remaining population is expected to be lost by 2036. The pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a jay between the North American blue jay and the Eurasian jay in size. They are found on the lower mountain slopes of the western United States. In addition, any new roads, parking areas or trailheads won't be allowed within 1,100 yards of any pinyon jay nesting colony sites. The pinyon jay, Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus, occurs throughout much of the western United States, and is a common bird of the pinyon-juniper forests of Utah.Pinyon jays are often found in loose flocks that consist of multiple breeding pairs and the offspring of those pairs from previous nesting seasons. It has black eyes, legs and feet. Mean vigor ranks of pinyon trees in abandoned Pinyon Jay colony, 2005-2011. Pinyon Jays usually nest in colonies. Pinyon Jays have been known to nest in nearly every month of the year, in response to abundant green pinyon cones (fall), cached seeds (late winter), or insects (spring and summer, Ligon 1978, Balda 2002). A Pinyon Jay is a fun bird to see while bird watching. A specialist on Pinyon Pine seeds, the Pinyon Jay rarely wanders far from this habitat during the breeding season. ASU - Ask A Biologist. The cup-shaped nest is … As suggested by this species' common name - these jays are closely associated with pinyon (pine) trees, which they use for cover, nesting and feeding. It is usually placed 3-20 feet above the ground in a tree. Height averages about 20' up, can be 6-60' above the ground. It also nests colonially, and the bulky platform nest is made of twigs and bark and lined with bark and hair. Distribution: Range of the Pinyon Jay is tied primarily to the distribution of pinyon … This suggests that choice of a nest location is influenced by multiple selective factors that interact with habitat variability across the Pinyon Jay’s range. It has a long, sharply pointed black bill; a short tail; a grayish-blue to blue body and a white chin. We found a Pinyon Jay on the nest when we arrived at 11 00 hrs. Smaller, crestless jay with a long sharply pointed bill and shorter tail. Pinyon Jay Conservation Status and Trends The Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) (Figure 1) is a highly social corvid of the interior West (Figure 2) that has experienced a major population decline over the past half century. We have captured Pinyon Jays using walk-in traps and mist-nets, and we fitted them with tiny glue-on radio transmitters. Pinyon Jay nest plots from unused plots at KAFB and WSMR, 2009-2011..... 41 Table 12. Behavior at a Pinyon Jay Nest in Response to Predation. In 2017, the Taos BLM Field Office requested that Natural Heritage New Mexico survey for breeding Pinyon Jays at the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument; 2017 surveys focused on North Guadalupe Mountain, the We addressed this challenge in studying the occurrence of Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) nest locations in four piñon-juniper woodland sites in New Mexico, USA. It is seen in the southeastern and central states in the US. Results of linear mixed model analysis of change in vigor over time at old Pinyon Jay colony. In Texas, where flocks are smaller, may nest as isolated pairs. When we checked the nest at 1300 hrs, I found it contained four eggs and two newly hatched young. So far the pinyon jay has kept its nest locations secret. November 1985; The Condor 87(4) DOI: 10.2307/1367966. We have also put together a list of fun Pinyon Jay t-shirts, Pinyon Jay bird patches, bird houses, bird feeders, binoculars, stickers and other fun bird watching items. 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