California Scrub-Jay
California Scrub-JayCalifornia Scrub-JayCalifornia Scrub-JayCalifornia Scrub-Jay

California Scrub-Jay

Aphelocoma californica

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Yosemite National Park
311 Verified records at Yosemite National Park
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The California scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica) is a species of scrub jay native to western North America. It ranges from southern British Columbia throughout California and western Nevada near Reno to west of the Sierra Nevada. The California scrub jay was once lumped with Woodhouse's scrub jay and collectively called the western scrub jay. IUCN and the Handbook of the Birds of the World maintain this lumped taxon. The group was also lumped with the island scrub jay and the Florida scrub jay; the taxon was then called simply scrub jay. The California scrub jay is nonmigratory and can be found in urban areas, where it can become tame and will come to bird feeders. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a California Scrub-Jay sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 311 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Yosemite National Park

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aphelocoma woodhouseii

Insufficient data
Steller's Jay
LC Endemic

Steller's Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanocitta stelleri

70–80% · Very likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

70–80% · Very likely
Clark's Nutcracker
LC

Clark's Nutcracker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nucifraga columbiana

20–30% · With luck
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

<5% · Rare
Pinyon Jay
VU

Pinyon Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

<5% · Rare
Black-billed Magpie
LC

Black-billed Magpie

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pica hudsonia

<5% · Rare
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

80–90% · Very likely
American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

70–80% · Very likely
Mountain Chickadee
LC

Mountain Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile gambeli

60–70% · Likely
Yellow-rumped Warbler
LC

Yellow-rumped Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga coronata

60–70% · Likely
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
30–40
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
5–10
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
5–10
Oct
20–30
Nov
30–40
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 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
2 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
3 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
4 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
5 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
6 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
7 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
8 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
9 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a California Scrub-Jay in Yosemite National Park?

About 9% of wildlife watchers report a California Scrub-Jay sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 311 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see California Scrub-Jay in Yosemite National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for California Scrub-Jay in Yosemite National Park in our monthly data.

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