Brown Jay

Brown Jay

Psilorhinus morio

Silhouette: Peileppe · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Arenal Volcano National Park
3,566 Verified sightings at Arenal Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026
27,282 Verified sightings across all 39 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Brown Jay

The brown jay (Cyanocorax morio) is a large jay native to Central America and southern Texas. The brown jay was formerly placed in its own genus Psilorhinus. When molecular phylogenetic studies found that the genus Cyanocorax was paraphyletic relative to Psilorhinus, Psilorhinus was subsumed into Cyanocorax to resolve the paraphyly.

Three subspecies are recognised: C. m. palliatus (Van Rossem, 1934) – extreme south Texas (south USA) and northeast, east Mexico C. m. morio (Wagler, 1829) – southeast Mexico to west Panama C. m. vociferus (Cabot, S, 1843) – north Yucatán Peninsula (southeast Mexico)

Brown jays vary in plumage geographically: there are two main groups. Northern birds are almost completely dark brown, with lighter brown on the underparts. Southern birds are white-bellied and have bright white tips to the outer tail feathers. The intergrade zone is in Veracruz, Mexico. Adults in both populations have black bills, legs, and feet. Immatures have yellow bare parts, including yellow eye-rings.

The voice is a loud but low-pitched pee-ah call and is often modified to suit its situation or mood. The northernmost extent... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

White-Throated Magpie-Jay

White-Throated Magpie-Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calocitta formosa

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Azure-hooded Jay
LC

Azure-hooded Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanolyca cucullata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Scarlet-rumped Tanager
LC

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocelus passerinii

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Montezuma Oropendola
LC

Montezuma Oropendola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psarocolius montezuma

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Clay-colored Thrush
LC

Clay-colored Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus grayi

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Great Kiskadee
LC

Great Kiskadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Blue-gray Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Bananaquit
LC

Bananaquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coereba flaveola

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Palm Tanager

Palm Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis palmarum

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Green Honeycreeper
LC

Green Honeycreeper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlorophanes spiza

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Golden-hooded Tanager

Golden-hooded Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stilpnia larvata

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Variable Seedeater
LC

Variable Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sporophila corvina

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~90%
2 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~70%
3 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~70%
4 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~70%
5 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~70%
6 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~60%
7 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~60%
8 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~50%
9 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~50%
10 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~50%
11 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
12 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~40%
13 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
14 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
15 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
16 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
17 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
18 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
19 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
20 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
21 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
22 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
23 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
24 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
25 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
26 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
27 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
28 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
29 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
31 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
32 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
34 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
35 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
36 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
37 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
38 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
39 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Brown Jay in Arenal Volcano National Park?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Jay sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 3,566 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brown Jay in Arenal Volcano National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Brown Jay in Arenal Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

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