Brown Jay

Psilorhinus morio

Silhouette: Peileppe · PhyloPic

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyCorvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
GenusPsilorhinus
SpeciesPsilorhinus morio (Brown Jay)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Celestún Biosphere Reserve

5 Verified sightings at Celestún Biosphere Reserve From 2019 to 2026

27,282 Verified sightings across all 39 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ 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 Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Cyanocorax yncas

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cyanocorax yucatanicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Mimus gilvus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Setophaga petechia

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Vireo pallens

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Quiscalus mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Tachycineta albilinea

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Myiozetetes similis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Endemic

Polioptila albiventris

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

NT Endemic

Campylorhynchus yucatanicus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Parkesia noveboracensis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

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

← Back to Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Brown Jay

About the Brown Jay

Recent sightings of Brown Jay in Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Closest Relatives at Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Green Jay

Yucatán Jay

Tropical Mockingbird

Yellow Warbler

Mangrove Vireo

Great-tailed Grackle

Tropical Kingbird

Mangrove Swallow

Social Flycatcher

Yucatan Gnatcatcher

Yucatán Wren

Northern Waterthrush

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found