Birds and wildlife

Jay

Garrulus glandariusGroup: CrowsUK Conservation status:Green

How to identify

Although they're the most colourful members of the crow family, Jays are actually quite difficult to see. They are shy woodland birds, rarely moving far from cover. The screaming call usually lets you know a Jay is nearby and it is usually given when a bird is on the move, so watch for a bird flying between the trees with its distinctive flash of white on the rump. Jays are famous for their acorn feeding habits and in the autumn you may see them burying acorns for retrieving later in the winter.

Call

Jay

Niels Krabbe / xeno-canto

When and where to see them

You can find Jays across most of the UK, except northern Scotland. They live in both deciduous and coniferous woodland, parks and mature gardens. They are often seen flying across a woodland glade giving a screeching call. Thanks to their love of acorns, Jays are often easier to see in autumn, when they may fly some distance in the open in search of oak trees.

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Where best to see them

Key facts