Tropical Bird House | Memphis Zoo

Plush Crested Jay

The Plush Crested Jay belongs to the Corvidae family, which includes the crows and their many allies. It is found in central-southern South America in southwestern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina, including southern regions of the Amazon Basin River systems, bordering the Pantanal. Plush-crested Jays feed by foraging, taking small invertebrate prey as well as vegetable matter like fruits and seeds. They will also plunder nests for eggs or nestlings. They are opportunistic feeders, also known to forage food scraps around human habitation and take varied prey items like small frogs and insects. The Plush-crested Jay is also known as the Urraca Jay. Urraca is the Spanish word for magpie and may be derived from the Latin word for “thievish.”

These bold birds travel in groups of 10-12 individuals. They are the most common species of jay in South America. Larger than our common blue jay, they share with them an impressive range of calls. Food items, especially nuts are often hidden away to be consumed later. Sometimes the nuts are forgotten and sprout into a new plant. In this way, they help to keep the forest growing.