Inca Jay

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • San Isidro, Ecuador, Feb 2011

Bird name: Inca Jay
Latin: Cyanocorax yncas
Other: Urraca Inca (Es)
Family: Corvidae • Crows, Jays
Range: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
Similar: Green Jay

A stunning Inca Jay at the San Isidro Lodge in Ecuador, where they were much in evidence, especially in the morning, feeding on the insects attracted by the lights at night.

Inca Jays have recently been split from the Green Jay - their northern counterpart.

In addition to their beautiful plumage, Inca Jays have a wonderful repertoire of different noises and calls. They tend to move around in groups.

In Ecuador they’re found in the highlands of the east slope of the Andes and are unmistakable.

Below, an Inca Jay at San Isidro Lodge in Ecuador.



Below, an Inca Jay at Guango Lodge, where they are less common than Turquoise Jays. Plumage and iris are not strongly coloured, so perhaps a juvenile?