White-tailed Jay

The white-tailed jay is overall white and bluish, with a black head. Its face is mostly black, with a small white spot above the eye, a small white moustachial stripe, and a somewhat larger white spot on the cheek. It has a white nape and belly. The back and wings are a greyish-blue, which extends down the top of the tail. The rectrices, tail tip, and underside of the tail are white. It has bright yellow irises. There are no visual differences between the sexes. Juveniles have brown irises and lack both the white spot above the eye and the moustachial stripe. These features last until the first moult. The white-tailed jay is roughly 33 cm (13 in) in length. One individual measured had a wing length of 146 mm (5.7 in), a 147 mm (5.8 in) tail, 40 mm (1.6 in) tarsi, and a 40 mm (1.6 in) beak. Weight measurements come from a single pair, with the male weighing 160 g (5.6 oz) and the female weighing 149 g (5.3 oz). Little is known of the vocalizations of the white-tailed jay. Their most common call is described as "cha-cha-cha-cha", varying in pitch throughout. It is thought that this may be used socially. They also make a high-pitched "clewp-clewp" call. The white-tailed jay has fewer vocalizations than other species in its genus. …

The white-tailed jay is non-migratory and can be found from northwestern Peru to southwestern Ecuador. In Ecuador, it ranges as far north as the province of Guayas, down through El Oro and Loja. In Peru, it can be found as far south as La Libertad. It lives in several different types of semi-humid, semi-open woodlands throughout its range, such as mesquite woodlands and cactus steppe. Within these areas, it prefers to remain near thick patches of vegetation close to rivers and streams. In parts of Ecuador, it can be seen in cloud forests at higher elevations. It can be found from sea level up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft).

The white-tailed jay feeds on insects, such as beetles and ants, and on seeds. It is also known to feed on eggs from other birds. It will approach human settlements and steal eggs from domestic ducks and chickens, and one pair has been observed raiding the nest of a pale-legged hornero. It also steals eggs from the endangered Peruvian plantcutter. The white-tailed jay forages in flocks of up to ten individuals, but can also commonly be seen singly or in a pair. It forages throughout all levels of the forest; however, it can be found on the ground more often than other species in its genus. This is thought to be because of its habitat, as it prefers semi-open areas. It can also be found near human settlements and will forage through gardens. The white-tailed jay may be predated upon by the bicoloured hawk.