Jay
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae

[Photo] Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata). Photographer: Dave Menke. Date: December 30, 2002. Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The jays are several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy passerine birds in the crow family Corvidae. The names jay and magpie are somewhat interchangeable, and the actual evolutionary relationships are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian Magpie seems more closely related to the Eurasian Jay than to the Oriental Blue and Green Magpies, whereas the Blue Jay is not closely related to either.

Systematics and species
See classification box for relevant genera links. The Crested Jay (Platylophus galericulatus) is traditionally placed here, but apparently this is not correct, as suggested by anatomical and molecular evidence. Its placement remains unresolved; it does not seem to be a corvid at all. It should be noted that according to the research of Ericson et al. (2005), jays are not a monophyletic group. Rather, they can be divided into an American and an Old World lineage (the latter including the ground jays and the Piapiac), while the gray jays of the genus Perisoreus form a group of their own. The Black Magpie, formerly believed to be related to jays, is actually a treepie.




Old World ("brown") jays

Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius
Lanceolated Jay, Garrulus lanceolatus
Lidth's Jay, Garrulus lidthi
Henderson's Ground Jay, Podoces hendersoni
Biddulph's Ground Jay, Podoces biddulphi
Persian Ground Jay, Podoces pleskei
Grey Ground Jay, Podoces panderi
Piapiac, Ptilostomus afer

Grey jays

Siberian Jay, Perisoreus infaustus
Sichuan Jay, Perisoreus internigrans
Gray Jay, or Canada Jay or Whiskeyjack Perisoreus canadensis

American ("blue") jays

Florida Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens
Island Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma insularis
Western Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma californica
Mexican Jay, Aphelocoma ultramarina
Unicolored Jay, Aphelocoma unicolor
Pinyon Jay, Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata
Black-throated Magpie-jay, Calocitta colliei
White-throated Magpie-jay, Calocitta formosa
Black-chested Jay, Cyanocorax affinis
Green Jay, Cyanocorax ynca
Brown Jay, Cyanocorax morio
Bushy-crested Jay, Cyanocorax melanocyaneus
San Blas Jay, Cyanocorax sanblasianus
Yucatan Jay, Cyanocorax yucatanicus
Purplish-backed Jay, Cyanocorax beecheii
Purplish Jay, Cyanocorax cyanomelas
Azure Jay, Cyanocorax caeruleus
Violaceous Jay, Cyanocorax violaceus
Curl-crested Jay, Cyanocorax cristatellus
Azure-naped Jay, Cyanocorax heilprini
Cayenne Jay, Cyanocorax cayanus
Plush-crested Jay, Cyanocorax chrysops
White-naped Jay, Cyanocorax cyanopogon
White-tailed Jay, Cyanocorax mystacalis
Black-collared Jay, Cyanolyca armillata
Turquoise Jay, Cyanolyca turcosa
White-collared Jay, Cyanolyca viridicyana
Azure-hooded Jay, Cyanolyca cucullata
Beautiful Jay, Cyanolyca pulchra
Black-throated Jay, Cyanolyca pumilo
Dwarf Jay, Cyanolyca nana
Silvery-throated Jay, Cyanolyca argentigula
White-throated Jay, Cyanolyca mirabilis

See also treepies, magpies, nutcrackers and crows.

Jays in culture

Slang
The word "jay" has an archaic meaning in American slang meaning a stupid or dull person, from which is derived the term jaywalking ("jay-walker". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2nd ed. 1989.).

Organizational symbols
The Toronto Blue Jays, a Major League Baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario.
The Arizona Jays, a World Football League team of the Pacific Conference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay

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