Violaceous Jay
Encyclopedia
The Violaceous Jay is a species of bird
in the Corvidae
family, the crows and their allies.
It is found in Bolivia
, Brazil
, Colombia
, Ecuador
, Guyana
, Peru
, and Venezuela
. Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s and heavily degraded former forest. This species is mainly a lowland bird although locally this jay may variously range to elevations as high as 500-1,400 m.
(with which it overlaps in southeastern Peru
and in northern Bolivia
) is duller (more purplish or brownish blue, less violaceous blue) and the nape is not paler than the back. In eastern Colombia
and southern Venezuela
, the Azure-naped Jay
is distinguished by its pale iris, white undertail coverts and tip to the tail, paler nape, and short frontal crest. The Violaceous Jay is 33-38 cm (13-15 in) long and weighs 262 grams (9.2 oz.)
s, insect
s, and bird
and reptile
eggs. It is also known to take small lizard
s as well.
Little is known in any detail about the Violaceous Jay's life history. Violaceous Jays in Venezuela forage chiefly in the middle and upper canopy (above 18 meters) in a mature tropical evergreen rainforest. They take food items by hopping along limbs and gleaning for prey. It forages in flocks in forest canopy, and rarely lingers in one spot for long. These flocks often are noisy, but like other jays, the Violaceous Jay can be quiet and inconspicuous at times. They are known to frequently mob potential predators.
, from northern Bolivia, through Amazonian eastern Peru and Ecuador, Amazonian Colombia, and the Orinoco River Basin and beyond into northern Venezuela. The range is east of the Andes
cordillera, except in the north in Colombia and Venezuela. In southwest Guyana, (the southwest Guiana Shield), the range borders Roraima
state, Brazil and the Amazon River
, (Rio Negro), tributary, the south-flowing Branco River
of central Roraima.
In Brazil's western Amazon Basin, the Violaceous Jay is found in Roraima, Amazonas, and Acre
state, the west of North Region, Brazil
.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Corvidae
Corvidae
Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
family, the crows and their allies.
It is found in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s and heavily degraded former forest. This species is mainly a lowland bird although locally this jay may variously range to elevations as high as 500-1,400 m.
Description
This is a medium-large jay with dull violet-blue plumage and a striking dark face and throat. The Purplish JayPurplish Jay
The Purplish Jay is a species of bird in the Corvidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay....
(with which it overlaps in southeastern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and in northern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) is duller (more purplish or brownish blue, less violaceous blue) and the nape is not paler than the back. In eastern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and southern Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, the Azure-naped Jay
Azure-naped Jay
The Azure-naped Jay is a species of bird in the Corvidae family.It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland....
is distinguished by its pale iris, white undertail coverts and tip to the tail, paler nape, and short frontal crest. The Violaceous Jay is 33-38 cm (13-15 in) long and weighs 262 grams (9.2 oz.)
Behavior
The Violaceous Jay is omnivorous, mainly consuming fruitFruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s, insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, and bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
and reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
eggs. It is also known to take small lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s as well.
Little is known in any detail about the Violaceous Jay's life history. Violaceous Jays in Venezuela forage chiefly in the middle and upper canopy (above 18 meters) in a mature tropical evergreen rainforest. They take food items by hopping along limbs and gleaning for prey. It forages in flocks in forest canopy, and rarely lingers in one spot for long. These flocks often are noisy, but like other jays, the Violaceous Jay can be quiet and inconspicuous at times. They are known to frequently mob potential predators.
Distribution
The range of the Violaceous Jay is the southwest and northwest Amazon BasinAmazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
, from northern Bolivia, through Amazonian eastern Peru and Ecuador, Amazonian Colombia, and the Orinoco River Basin and beyond into northern Venezuela. The range is east of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
cordillera, except in the north in Colombia and Venezuela. In southwest Guyana, (the southwest Guiana Shield), the range borders Roraima
Roraima
Roraima is the northernmost and least populated state of Brazil, located in the Amazon region. It borders the states of Amazonas and Pará, as well as the nations of Venezuela and Guyana. The population is 400,000 and the capital is Boa Vista...
state, Brazil and the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
, (Rio Negro), tributary, the south-flowing Branco River
Branco River
The Rio Branco is the principal affluent of the Rio Negro from the north; it is enriched by many streams from the sierras which separate Venezuela and Guyana from Brazil. Its two upper main tributaries are the Urariquira and the Takutu...
of central Roraima.
In Brazil's western Amazon Basin, the Violaceous Jay is found in Roraima, Amazonas, and Acre
Acre (state)
Acre is one of the 27 states of Brazil. It is situated in the southwest of the Northern Region, bordering Amazonas to the north, Rondônia to the east, Bolivia to the southeast and the Ucayali Region of Peru to the south and west. It occupies an area of 152,581.4 km2, being slightly smaller...
state, the west of North Region, Brazil
North Region, Brazil
The North Region of Brazil is the largest Region of Brazil, corresponding to 45.27% of the national territory. It is the least inhabited of the country, and contributes with a minor percentage in the national GDP and population...
.
External links
- Violaceous Jay videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Photo-474kb; Article photobirder–"Corvidae:Crows and Allies"
