Santa Cruz I (south-western California), in south-western USA.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 9,000 (2010) and stable.
Status NR
Habitat degradation through grazing of introduced sheep and pigs is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) [XC89391]
by Paul van Els from Scorpion Canyon, Santa Cruz Island, CA, United States (call)
Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) [XC614476]
by id from Santa Cruz Island (near Ventura), Santa Barbara Co., California, United States (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
May form a superspecies with Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) and Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), and all previously treated as conspecific. Derived from coastal clade of Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica). Relationships of this group with Ultramarine Jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina) and Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) yet to be resolved, as recent studies indicate that divergence of these three major lineages within the genus was apparently rapid, leading to conflict among genetic markers.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet