Black-collared Jay

En bref

  • Scientific Name: Cyanolyca armillata
  • Spanish Name: Urraca collareja
  • Family: Corvidae
  • Known Nicknames: Black-collared Jay, Collared Jay
  • Average Length: 28–32 cm / 11–13 in
  • Average Weight: 80–100 g / 2.8–3.5 oz
  • Envergure : N/A
  • Key Feature: Distinctive black collar across the throat and nape contrasting with blue body
  • Régime alimentaire principal : Omnivore
  • Aire de répartition : Andes de Colombie, d'Équateur et du nord du Pérou
  • Habitat: Montane cloud forest and humid highland forest edges
  • Social Structure: Small flocks or family groups
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tree branches; builds a cup-shaped nest
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Black-collared Jay (*Cyanolyca armillata*) is a strikingly beautiful bird found in the humid montane forests of the northern Andes, from Colombia to Ecuador. Its most distinctive feature is the bold, jet-black "collar" that wraps around its throat and upper chest, starkly contrasting with its otherwise vivid, deep blue body, wings, and long tail. A white patch above the eye and a black mask give it an alert, expressive face, while its stout, black bill is perfect for its omnivorous diet of insects, fruit, and small vertebrates. Uniquely among its jay relatives, this species is known for its subtle, high-pitched whistles and its preference for foraging in small family groups within the dense, mossy cloud forest understory, making it a challenging yet rewarding sight for birdwatchers.

Faits amusants

Despite its striking blue and black plumage, the Black-collared Jay has a surprisingly raspy, cat-like mew call used for close-range communication, often sounding more like a disgruntled kitten than a bird. It is an accomplished mimic, known to perfectly replicate the calls of hawks and other predators to startle competitors away from food sources. A quirky habit involves "anting," where it deliberately rubs ants (or even burning embers from campfires) through its feathers, using the formic acid as a natural insecticide and fungicide. Uniquely, it often forages in mixed-species flocks with toucans and tanagers, but will aggressively mob and drive off much larger birds like owls or falcons that enter its territory, sometimes even landing on their backs.

Habitats et répartition

The Black-collared Jay is found in the humid montane forests and cloud forests of the northern Andes, typically at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 meters. Its geographical range is relatively restricted, occurring along the eastern slope of the Andes from southwestern Colombia (in the departments of Nariño and Putumayo) south through Ecuador into extreme northern Peru (in the Cordillera del Cóndor region). It inhabits dense, mossy forest interiors and edges, often near streams or ravines, and is associated with areas of high humidity and abundant epiphytes, avoiding drier or heavily degraded landscapes.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Black-collared Jay is a highly social corvid, typically found in small, stable family groups of 4 to 8 individuals. These groups are cooperative breeders, where a dominant breeding pair is assisted by non-breeding helpers—often offspring from previous broods—who participate in nest defense, territory maintenance, and feeding the young. During the breeding season, which usually coincides with the rainy months, the pair builds a cup-shaped nest of twigs and moss in a dense tree fork. The female lays 2 to 4 pale, spotted eggs, and she alone incubates them for about 17 to 19 days while the male and helpers bring her food. A unique reproductive strategy is the high degree of alloparental care: helpers not only feed the incubating female but also provision the nestlings and fledglings, significantly increasing the survival rate of the brood. Fledging occurs around 20 days after hatching, but the young remain dependent on the group for several more weeks, often staying within the natal territory for over a year before dispersing to find their own breeding opportunities.

Alimentation

The Black-collared Jay (Cyanolyca armillata) is primarily an omnivorous forager, with a diet heavily reliant on a variety of fruits, berries, and seeds gleaned from the canopy and understory of its montane cloud forest habitat. It actively supplements this plant-based intake with a significant amount of animal protein, including large insects like beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers, as well as spiders, small lizards, and tree frogs. An interesting aspect of its feeding behavior is its tendency to join mixed-species foraging flocks, often following larger birds like toucans or tanagers to snatch prey items they flush out or drop. Additionally, it has been observed caching food, particularly seeds and large insects, in tree crevices or under bark for later consumption, a behavior that helps it survive periods of scarcity in its high-altitude environment.

Couleurs

The Black-collared Jay has a deep violet-blue body with a paler blue crown and nape, contrasting sharply with a broad black band across the upper chest and a black mask around the eyes. Its throat is white, and it shows a subtle white eyebrow stripe. It lacks strong camouflage, relying instead on its vivid coloration for social signaling in dense montane forests.