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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge

3 Verified sightings at Ostional Wildlife Refuge 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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Calocitta formosa

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Campylorhynchus capistratus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Quiscalus mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Setophaga petechia

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Icterus galbula

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Turdus grayi

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Thryophilus pleurostictus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Megarynchus pitangua

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Dives dives

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Icterus pustulatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Brown Jay

About the Brown Jay

Recent sightings of Brown Jay in Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

White-Throated Magpie-Jay

Great Kiskadee

Rufous-backed Wren

Great-tailed Grackle

Tropical Kingbird

Yellow Warbler

Baltimore Oriole

Clay-colored Thrush

Banded Wren

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Melodious Blackbird

Streak-backed Oriole

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found