The Blue Bush Jay

The blue bush jay Aphelocoma coerulescens is a bird of the Vranov family, endemic to Florida, USA.

It is a small bird with a body length of 24-28 cm and a weight of 65-90 g. The nape, upper wing coverts and tail are bright blue. The back, underside and forehead are grey.

The range of the blue jay is limited to areas of Florida overgrown with bushes. The preferred living space is characterized by droughts and frequent fires. In this environment grows a small assortment of specific plants (sand pine, ceratiola, oak), the fruits of which, in addition to tree frogs, snakes, insects, turtles, lizards and young mice, make up the main diet of these birds.

The population of the species decreased in the XX century due to the destruction of living space by about 90% and is considered endangered. Populations of the west coast of Florida are being observed and studied point-by-point. To do this, the animals are ringed in different colors so that they can be identified by looking through binoculars