Gray Jay
Gray JayGray JayGray JayGray Jay

Gray Jay

Perisoreus canadensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Cape Breton Highlands National Park
16 Verified records at Cape Breton Highlands National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis), also known as the grey jay, gray jay, camp robber, moose bird, gorby, or whisky jack, is a passerine bird of the family Corvidae. It is found in boreal forests of North America, north to the tree line, and in the Rocky Mountains subalpine zone south to New Mexico and Arizona. A fairly large songbird, the Canada jay has pale grey underparts, darker grey upperparts, and a grey-white head with a darker grey nape. It is one of three members of the genus Perisoreus, a genus more closely related to the magpie genus Cyanopica than to other birds known as jays. The Canada jay itself has nine recognized subspecies. Canada jays live year-round on permanent territories in coniferous forests, surviving in winter months on food cached throughout their territory in warmer periods. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Jay sighting in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Cape Breton Highlands National Park

American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

50–60% · Likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

30–40% · Possible
Blue Jay
LC

Blue Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanocitta cristata

30–40% · Possible
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

60–70% · Likely
American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

60–70% · Likely
Black-capped Chickadee
LC

Black-capped Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile atricapillus

50–60% · Likely
Yellow-rumped Warbler
LC

Yellow-rumped Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga coronata

50–60% · Likely
White-throated Sparrow
LC

White-throated Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia albicollis

50–60% · Likely
American Goldfinch
LC

American Goldfinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spinus tristis

40–50% · Likely
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

40–50% · Likely
Red-eyed Vireo
LC

Red-eyed Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo olivaceus

40–50% · Likely
Golden-crowned Kinglet
LC

Golden-crowned Kinglet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Regulus satrapa

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
5–10
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
60–70%
2 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
3 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
4 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
5 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
6 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
7 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
8 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
9 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
10 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
11 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
12 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
13 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
14 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
15 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
16 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
17 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
18 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
19 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
20 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
21 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
22 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
23 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Gray Jay in Cape Breton Highlands National Park?

About 3% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Jay sighting in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Gray Jay in Cape Breton Highlands National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Gray Jay in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in our monthly data.

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