Black-Billed Magpie vs Canada Jay

Black-Billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

Also known as: American Magpie

How to recognise a black-billed magpie?

General appearance

The black-billed magpie is unmistakable with a size about that of a crow, mallard, or herring gull, varies between 17 1/2 -22 inches (44-56 cm). It possesses distinctive coloration, featuring a black body with a green and blue gloss on its wings and long, wedge-shaped tail. Its large white wing patches are particularly noticeable during flight.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism in black-billed magpies, which means males and females look very similar to one another. Both genders share the black coloration, along with the green-blue glossy wings. The wings are broad, either fingered or rounded, and their tails are long, wedge-shaped.

Juvenile

Juvenile black-billed magpies will have similar coloration to adults, but their colors may initially appear less vibrant with the glossy wing sheen developing as they mature. Similar to adults, the juveniles' wing patches flash white during flight.

Size

17.7 - 23.6 in/5.1 - 7.4 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The preferred habitat of the black-billed magpie includes rangeland, conifers, streamsides, forest edges, and farms, often residing in the western semi-open terrain.

Additional range

Unexpectedly, it is also found in some suburban areas. It avoids unbroken forest, treeless grasslands, and extreme deserts. Its most common locations are streamside groves in open terrain and farm country.

Range Map

What do black-billed magpies like to eat?

Natural diet

The black-billed magpie is omnivorous with a varied diet. Insects such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, flies, and beetles are consistently consumed. Other natural food sources include carrion, rodents, eggs, and young of other birds, as well as sometimes small snakes. In winter, their diet includes more vegetable matter like berries, seeds, and nuts.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, black-billed magpies may be attracted to seed mixes, especially those containing peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet. They may also take advantage of kitchen scraps and other foods offered to larger birds.

What does a black-billed magpie sound like?

The vocalizations of the Black-billed Magpie display a diverse range. Its typical calls can be described as rapid, nasal "mag? mag? mag?" or chatter-like "yak yak yak." The calls vary in pitch, characterized by a flat or rising pattern that is quite distinctive. Other vocalizations include chirps or chips, and sometimes raucous screams, indicating the bird's complex and dynamic communication repertoire. Their sound is distinct, engaging, and expressive, making them one of the more vocally varied species.

Call

Audio by Gabriel Leite

/ CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Canada Jay

Perisoreus canadensis

Also known as: Gray Jay, Grey Jay, Camp Robber, Whisky Jack

How to recognise a Canada jay?

General appearance

The Canada Jay is a medium-sized bird, standing at approximately 10-13 inches (25-33 cm) tall, similar in size to a crow or a robin. Their plumage is fluffy and primarily gray, though with a paler shade below. The Jay is also marked by its wing and tail shapes, which are broad, fingered, rounded, and occasionally, wedge-shaped.

Male vs female

There are no marked differences in physical appearance between male and female Canada Jays. Both share the same coloration and physical features, including the distinctive blackish patch on the nape that may extend to the top of the head, which varies by geographic region. More distinctions may be noticed in behavior rather than appearance.

Juvenile

Juvenile Canada Jays have a darker hue than their adult counterparts. Initially, their plumage is mostly dark charcoal gray. As they mature, the darker color recedes, replaced by the lighter gray and white colors of adult jays. Juveniles also have a noticeable paler whisker mark.

Size

10.6 - 12.2 in/2.2 - 2.9 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Canada jay dwells primarily in spruce and fir forests, including black spruce bogs in eastern Canada, forests of aspen and Engelmann spruce in the Rockies.

Additional range

Additional habitats include mixed coniferous forests, and zones with Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir on the northwest coast. The jay rarely occurs where there are no spruce trees.

Range Map

What do Canada jays like to eat?

Natural diet

The Canada jay is an omnivorous bird with a highly varied diet. In its natural habitat, it consumes a wide array of foods including insects, spiders, berries, seeds, fungi, small rodents, birds' eggs, and carrion. This adaptability allows the Canada jay to thrive in diverse environments, taking advantage of seasonal food availability and ensuring a robust nutrient intake.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, Canada jays are known to enjoy a variety of common offerings. They are particularly fond of suet, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and other nuts. Their willingness to eat a broad range of foods at bird feeders mirrors their opportunistic natural diet, making them frequent and adaptable visitors in areas where feeders are present.

What does a Canada jay sound like?

The Canada jay is known for its diverse vocalizations, consisting of scolding screams, whistles, and a call pattern that falls flat. Its calls encompass various types such as chirps or chips, rattles, screams, trills, and whistles. It typically communicates using a "Whee-ah, chuck-chuck" call but also resorts to a series of sounds for different contexts.

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Black-Billed Magpie

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Canada Jay

Black-Billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

Also known as: American Magpie

General appearance

The black-billed magpie is unmistakable with a size about that of a crow, mallard, or herring gull, varies between 17 1/2 -22 inches (44-56 cm). It possesses distinctive coloration, featuring a black body with a green and blue gloss on its wings and long, wedge-shaped tail. Its large white wing patches are particularly noticeable during flight.

Male vs female

There is little sexual dimorphism in black-billed magpies, which means males and females look very similar to one another. Both genders share the black coloration, along with the green-blue glossy wings. The wings are broad, either fingered or rounded, and their tails are long, wedge-shaped.

Juvenile

Juvenile black-billed magpies will have similar coloration to adults, but their colors may initially appear less vibrant with the glossy wing sheen developing as they mature. Similar to adults, the juveniles' wing patches flash white during flight.

Size

17.7 - 23.6 in/5.1 - 7.4 oz

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Canada Jay

Perisoreus canadensis

Also known as: Gray Jay, Grey Jay, Camp Robber, Whisky Jack

General appearance

The Canada Jay is a medium-sized bird, standing at approximately 10-13 inches (25-33 cm) tall, similar in size to a crow or a robin. Their plumage is fluffy and primarily gray, though with a paler shade below. The Jay is also marked by its wing and tail shapes, which are broad, fingered, rounded, and occasionally, wedge-shaped.

Male vs female

There are no marked differences in physical appearance between male and female Canada Jays. Both share the same coloration and physical features, including the distinctive blackish patch on the nape that may extend to the top of the head, which varies by geographic region. More distinctions may be noticed in behavior rather than appearance.

Juvenile

Juvenile Canada Jays have a darker hue than their adult counterparts. Initially, their plumage is mostly dark charcoal gray. As they mature, the darker color recedes, replaced by the lighter gray and white colors of adult jays. Juveniles also have a noticeable paler whisker mark.

Size

10.6 - 12.2 in/2.2 - 2.9 oz

There's more to learn about Canada Jay

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How to tell the Black-Billed Magpie from the Canada Jay

Visual differences

The Black-Billed Magpie is larger, 17 1/2 - 22 inches long, with a distinctive black body and a glossy green-blue sheen on its wings, and a long, wedge-shaped tail. In contrast, the Canada Jay is smaller, 10-13 inches, and has fluffy gray plumage with a paler underside and a blackish nape patch. The magpie's bold white wing patches are noticeable in flight, while the Canada Jay's features are more muted with broad, rounded wings. The magpie has a more striking black and white pattern, whereas the Canada Jay displays a muted, gray coloration.

Key differences and behavior

The Black-Billed Magpie and Canada Jay exhibit distinct behavioral and ecological traits. Magpies, found in semi-open areas like farms and suburban zones, often form loose colonies, display with white wing patches during courtship, and construct large stick nests. In contrast, Canada Jays inhabit dense spruce forests, maintain year-round territories in pairs, and build nests early in snowy conifers. Magpies are known for stealing and are omnivorous, consuming insects, carrion, and bird eggs, whereas Canada Jays, dubbed camp robbers, mimic sounds, prefer seeds, berries, and small creatures, and store food using their feet. Magpies engage collectively in chick-rearing, while Canada Jays' detailed chick care is less documented but likely collaborative. Both species, however, visit bird feeders for similar foods like nuts and seeds.