{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "blue-jay",
  "name": "Blue Jay",
  "scientificName": "Cyanocitta cristata",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The blue jay is a striking, intelligent songbird of eastern and central North America, known for its blue crest, black necklace markings, and loud, varied calls. A member of the crow family, it is bold, social, and clever, famous for caching acorns and for mimicking the screams of hawks. Blue jays commonly live about 7 years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Passeriformes",
    "family": "Corvidae",
    "genus": "Cyanocitta"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.085,
    "lengthM": 0.28,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 7
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Cyanocitta cristata"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore (acorns, seeds, insects, eggs)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Forests, woodlands, parks, and gardens"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "About 7 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "25–30 cm (10–12 in)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 40 km/h (25 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Forests, woodlands, parks, and gardens across eastern and central North America.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Cyanocitta cristata.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Cyanocitta%20cristata&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Cyanocitta cristata. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cyanocitta_cristata/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Blue Jay.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_jay"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-jay/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-jay/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}