Purplish Jay

About the Purplish Jay

The purplish jay (Cyanocorax cyanomelas) is a species of bird in the family Corvidae, the crows and jays. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and as a vagrant to Uruguay. The purplish jay was originally described in 1818 as Pica cyanomelas, mistakenly identifying it as a magpie.

The purplish jay is monotypic. Some authors treat the purplish jay and the azure jay (C. caeruleus) as a superspecies. The purplish jay is 37 to 40 cm (15 to 16 in) long and weighs about 185 to 220 g (6.5 to 7.8 oz). The sexes have the same plumage and both have a tuft of feathers at the base of the bill. Adults have a sooty black forecrown, sides of the head, throat, and upper breast. Their crown is purplish brown that becomes more purple on the nape. The rest of their body is bluish purple with a brownish wash, with the brightest shade on the remiges and uppertail coverts. Their rectrices are a dark violet-blue. As the body feathers wear they become browner and contrast more with the tail than when fresh. The species has a dark brown iris, a black bill, and black legs and feet.

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