The Eurasian jay eats acorns, other seeds, fruit and insects, and sometimes the eggs and chicks of small birds. In autumn, it hides acorns in the ground and among fallen leaves, then later finds some of them. The acorns left behind may sprout, helping oak trees spread.
Eurasian jay
Garrulus glandarius
Listen to the voice
Eduardo Campos Wals · KobuletiGeorgia field photo
A medium-sized woodland corvid with a black crown in the Caucasus form and a bright blue wing panel. Confirmed in Georgia as a year-round resident and breeder on the 2024 national bird checklist.
Key facts in one look
- Diet
- Acorns, seeds, insects
- Status in Georgia
- Resident and breeder
- Length
- About 35 cm
- Habitat
- Woodland and parks
- Family
- Corvidae
- Global assessment
- Least Concern
Garrulus glandarius is a bird related to crows and ravens. It lives in Georgia year-round and nests here. You can recognize it by the blue patch with black stripes on its wing, its black “moustache” and the white feathers above its tail. It is not dangerous to people. It is also called japara in Georgian. The Caucasian form found in Georgia has mostly black feathers on its head.
Identification
Eurasian jay: how to identify it
The Eurasian jay has a pinkish-brown body, a black “moustache,” a white area above its tail, and a blue patch with black stripes on its wing. In Georgia, the top of its head is mostly black.
It measures about 35 cm from its beak to the end of its tail. Its wingspan is 52–58 cm, and it weighs about 140–190 g. Its body is pinkish brown, with a black “moustache” near the throat. In flight, a white area above the tail and a blue wing patch with black bars are visible. When the wing is clearly visible, this patch is the most useful feature for identifying it.
The Caucasian form found in Georgia, G. g. krynicki, has mostly black feathers on its head. Do not decide which form a bird belongs to based only on the color of the feathers on top of its head. Males and females look alike.
The Eurasian jay is a forest bird. It is found in deciduous and mixed forests, especially oak forests, as well as at forest edges, in parks and in settlements with trees. Its presence in Georgia has been confirmed, including in Algeti National Park and Tbilisi. Treeless high mountain areas are not its typical habitat.
Distribution confirmedfield records
Recorded only · 3
The Eurasian jay map uses public iNaturalist photo observations in Georgia. Regions come from the records-by-region table: only confirmed status counts as distribution; otherwise a region is not treated as part of the range. Record counts reflect observation effort, not population density.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
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- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Confirmed distribution region
This bird is active during the day. It has a loud, harsh call and also imitates other birds’ calls. In flight, the white area above its tail and the blue patch on its wing are clearly visible. It builds its nest in a tree or a tall bush.
A 2017 global assessment found that the Eurasian jay is at relatively low risk. The 2024 list of Georgia’s birds gives the same assessment for Georgia. This does not establish that the bird is protected by law.
Alexey Komarov · Tbilisi
Andrey Gulivanov · Yerevan
Eduardo Campos Wals · Kobuleti
Donsky · Tbilisi
Related guides
Continue with related pages
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Eurasian jay.
The Eurasian jay lives in Georgia year-round and nests here.
It is found in deciduous and mixed forests, at forest edges, in parks and in settlements with trees. Its presence has also been confirmed in Algeti National Park and Tbilisi.
Look for a blue patch with black stripes on the wing. The bird also has a pinkish-brown body, a black “moustache” and a white area above its tail.
It eats acorns, other seeds, fruit and insects, and sometimes the eggs and chicks of small birds. In autumn, it hides acorns and later finds some of them.
It is not dangerous to people. Globally, this species is assessed as facing a low level of threat, but that assessment does not determine whether it is legally protected.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
